Should Only Medical And Scientific Persons Be Referred To As Doctors

[barney15c]

Jill Biden has been criticized for using her Doctorate title, which she earned in the field of education. Some have said that this should only be applied to those in the Medical and Scientific professions. The BBC's own style guide uses the title Dr to refer to doctors of medicine, scientific doctors and church ministers who hold doctorates, when relevant. What is the history of doctorates in other disciplines? Do you agree that those who have a Doctorate in say Education, Economics, Theology etc should call themselves Dr. I have no personal opinion either way.

[pixie374]

Scary....!

[theprof]

Ah, now that would be telling pixie374 but having just read the post again, its too ambiguous.

[pixie374]

Ah well.... :-). Sorry Jim- I tried :-)

[theprof]

In those days, I used to read and mark dissertations in the college refrectory mainly for the peace and quiet. One day, he asked me to explain the thinking behind academic robes and their different colours etc as I was wearing one that day complete with ermin.
We got on like a house on fire - he had a jaw-dropping past. I didn't mind him phoning my home number. I was in the phone book then. The anti-vivisectionists put paid to that in subsequent years and I'm now ex directory. MrsProf is also a medical professor and wouldn't want scary calls.

[pixie374]

I don't blame her.... although I also don't want to know why anti-vivisectionists were upset with you.

[Bazile]

theprof

When are you going to knuckle down so you can make something of your life

[theprof]

Pixie374, I was not engaged in anything to do with vivisection. I had colleagues in zoology that were involved almost daily. Unfortunately, we were all targeted at the same time and virtually everyone involved in mammalian science was regardless of their job. It was commonplace to trawl through a university prospectus at the time and target virtually anyone involved in biological scientists, including ecologists, botanists, soil scientists etc.

Ironically, I had probably done more dissections in my Grammar school on the rat and dogfish and it was part of the syllabus of "A" level zoology at the time. There was no choice involved. It's not been necessary for many years in my present job thankfully

[pixie374]

Thanks, theprof x

[theprof]

Pixie374, my phone number was withheld simply because the entire Science faculty was ordered to have their home phones become ex-directory. The University arranged it and it didn't cost me a penny. The anti-vivisectionists were not upset with me personally - I merely complied with the wishes of my employer.

[pixie374]

Yes, I understand...thank you x

[Bazile]

the prof

I was only joking

[theprof]

Bazile, I've always fancied becoming a bin man if I'm honest. The hours are great and they've got a lot less pressure on them than me. The guys can go home at night and forget their job. Plus there's the Christmas Box at this time of the year.

Might get there one day but who knows

[pixie374]

Theprof....how about job satisfaction? In any case... Good luck with what you want :-)

[jim360]

Ah well, worth a shot :P

I'm unfortunately not connected enough with the field to have had a hope of guessing, and I suspect it's better that way for all our sakes! I'm just glad that, especially in the current circumstances, there's someone on AB with such an impressive list of credentials and such a connection to the front-line at a time we seriously need that.

It's bin collection day tomorrow morning around here so that's a bonus :)

[Peter Pedant]

// I said anyone can call themselves 'doctor' and that is true.//
nope
you cant hold yourself out to be a doctor as a registered medical practitioner unless you are
that is "I didnt say I was a doctor because I didnt mention registered medical practitioner" is NOT a defence. Very few cases on this nowadays - one a few months ago.
"I am a doctor of binology " is clearly NOT saying you are a medical doctor.

a typist was treating bomb victims outside BMA house in 2005 which caused - disquiet. The fact she didnt say - "that is 2/6 please" did NOT make it OK.

[Bazile]

the prof
I'm sure there are far more perks in Academia , than a lowly bin man can get hold of - no ? :-)

[theprof]

Thank you jim360.

Over the years, I've met Her Majesty three times and had my arm twisted to to appear on the Birthday Honours List in frightningly ascending order. I have politely declined them all over the years. Similar events have occurred with this Covid problem. I'm not interested in honours to be honest and I have no interest in sitting on government appointed committees and sub-commitees.

Right now, I prefer to spend my time in the lab researching and supervising efforts to overcome this virus part of the week and return to my university duties the rest. The research facility and my uni have great teams at work in my absence and I'm only a phone call away day or night.

Our children think I am mad but that's me. I usually tell them that the more letters and awards you have behind your name, the more it costs your loved ones to put your obituary in national newspapers!

[theprof]

Bazile, lots of perks if I'm prepared to admit it. I have computer servers at home in a server room that are linked constantly to my uni and government facilities in the UK due to the nature of my work. All this stuff has been upgraded by people who are employed by agencies that I couldn't even name thanks to this covid crisis. They just turned up one day at my gate with a van full of stuff and I have no idea what the racked equipment is doing when the led's flash and the bleepers bleep. I have passwords and usernames to all sorts of places that assist me in my research. High spec laptops and towers are provided to me at no charge should I need them and my research budget at my labs are bottomless right now.

My electricity usage is paid on my behalf and I dont even know who my supplier is on thinking about it. I also have priority access to all sorts of tradesmen.

Undoubtedly, you can regard this as perks but in a nutshell it has only happened because of my job, a job that I take home with me every night.

I'd have none of this nonsense if I was a binman. I do like PP's suggestion of a degree in binology all the same and I might suggest it to the vice-chancellor later this week.

Still, I'm happy to help right now.

[naomi24]

//a degree in binology //

One of our binmen claims he has a degree in 'Garbology' - a step up I believe. ;o)

[Khandro]

I'm reminded by this thread of a story about Churchill. His Doctor; Sir John - something or other, said, when Churchill kept referring to him as 'Doctor' "You've no need to call me doctor, call me John, to which Churchill replied; "I've no wish to be on first-name terms with someone who has had his finger up my bottom!"