Professional communication

[tunafish]

For people in the trenches... how do you talk to the docs in your office/practice/department that you know and deal on a regular basis? Are you on a first name basis or you call them Dr. X. I am not talking about formal communication in front of the student, resident etc, but rather in everyday professional life.

[True Anomaly]

I hate to default to something as simple as age, but I find myself subconsciously doing so:

 

If they're older than me- "Dr. So and so" (unless they've already introduced themselves by their first name)

 

Younger than me- First name

 

Not saying either is right, but this is what I find myself doing

[EMEDPA]

depends on the individual. some are "john" from day 1. others always are Dr Miller forever to everyone...most I work with I am on a first name basis with now.

[tunafish]

depends on the individual. some are "john" from day 1. others always are Dr Miller forever to everyone...most I work with I am on a first name basis with now.

I know what you are saying, but how do you look at it in light of your own doctorate?

[TWR]

I agree with EMED.  Depending on how they introduce themselves.  I have worked with both and will say the first name docs were much  friendlier and approachable.

[winterallsummer]

At my job everyone is on a first name basis regardless of age title etc.

[sas5814]

For people in the trenches... how do you talk to the docs in your office/practice/department that you know and deal on a regular basis? Are you on a first name basis or you call them Dr. X. I am not talking about formal communication in front of the student, resident etc, but rather in everyday professional life.

Yes I call them by their first name. We are colleagues. If one of them gets pissy and says "I prefer Dr ___" I am happy to do so but also insist on being called Dr Stegall (of the PhD variety). They never want to do that so that usually settles things down. I have no problem with using someone's title if that is their desire but if they want to be horsey about it...well I can too. It may be an advantage of age (mine not theirs).

[Boatswain2PA]

I call them "Doctor.....", and it doesn't bother me a bit.  

[Joelseff]

Depends on the doc. I am on first name basis with most of the docs in my practice but there are 1 or 2 I just don't interact with much that I call Dr. Most of the docs introduced themselves to me by their first name so I always used it. The other ones never said anything about it and quite frankly never introduced themselves to me so I call them Dr.

 

My SP and my Medical Director I am on first name basis.

 

Sent from my S5 Active...Like you care...

 

[delco714]

I call every doc even those I'm most familiar with Dr. Even when they continue to introduce themselves with their first name. I see maybe out of all the other PAs 2 in similar positions saying first name, for me it just doesn't come natural. I was the same growing up with elders like friends parents, etc..wonder if there's a respect connection

 

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

32 years and I've only called one by first name, including gazillions in EM, and it was at his request. Guess I'm old-school and figure if they earned the degree then they deserve the title unless expressed otherwise. Would most have minded? Probably not.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DogLovingPA]

In urgent care, where I have multiple SP's and work with about 100 clinical staff - everyone is "Dr", regardless of how they introduced themselves to me.  Some of the docs will sign personal communications with their first name, but it just feels weird to call them by their first name, especially in front of staff.  However, in outpatient pulmonary where it is just me and 1 SP - we are on a first name basis.  Although, this is partly due to the fact that he has a long indian last name that just doesn't roll off the tongue easily - he even introduces himself to patients by his first name.  We also have a closer relationship since we are the only two providers in the office so a very different dynamic.   

[Guest Paula]

I call some Dr., some by first name and it all depends on the circumstances.  I call my SP by his first name at his request, except in front of patients. 

[ventana]

in front of patients - pretty much always doctor

 

In most other areas - simply their first name

 

Meet a cardiologist on a hiking trail - would have been very wierd to call him doc in this setting

 

Every Doc i know puts their pants on the same way I do (one leg at a time) and is facing the same challenges with life and the USA medical system

Hence - if I know them at all, first name, but in front of patients, or if I have no personal relationship with them, Doc so -so

[winterallsummer]

To me it makes no sense to address others as Doctor last name. If you're a teachers assistant are you calling your colleague Mr Smith? It's ridiculous. Sometimes I call people "Doctor" because I forgot their name. Or a consultant I've never met. But people you see every day? Give me a break. Please do yourself and our profession a favor. We are colleagues not assistants, despite our misnomer of a title developed in the 1960s. That being said any RN who calls me Doctor (which is a mistake obviously) or by a formal title I insist calls me by my first name. I also ask my patients to call me by my first name. The days of idolizing someone as Doctor as if they are suprahuman are over.

[Boatswain2PA]

Giving someone the respect they EARNED by taking the very difficult path to MD/DO does not equal "idolizing" someone as "suprahuman".  
 

They took the long route.  They studied hard not for 2-3 years, but for 7-10 years.  They didn't take the GRE and PANCE, they aced the MCAT, STEP I, STEP II, STEP III, did a residency, and took their boards.  

 

That does not mean physicians are suprahuman, but it means that they have done the work that we have not, and they deserve to be at the top of the profession.  

I assume you knew this before you chose to apply for PA school instead of medical school, right?

[winterallsummer]

The respect they earned is reflected in their scope of practice, pay and the title they have on their diploma in their office.

 

At my job all the physicians INSIST we call them by their first name. If a doc I worked with asked me to call them Doctor last name it would strike me as very odd.

 

Furthermore I know of individuals whom are PhDs and have even done scholastic training beyond Med school with multiple degrees. I also would find it very odd if they insisted I called them Doctor.

 

Finally I think doctors PAs RNs teachers pastors trash men all deserve respect if they treat others right and do their job with passion. The janitor at my hospital deserves just as much respect as the doctors or myself. I applied to PA school a while ago and could've gone to medical school but did not want to. I have never felt the need to earn my respect through a title. I earn it through my actions.

 

Anyways opinions differ and I have shared mine and I respect yours as well.

[tunafish]

Ironically, people who may spend 7-8 years on average to earn their doctorate... lets say in physics, in general all go by their first names among postdocs and techs.

Giving someone the respect they EARNED by taking the very difficult path to MD/DO does not equal "idolizing" someone as "suprahuman".  
 

They took the long route.  They studied hard not for 2-3 years, but for 7-10 years.  They didn't take the GRE and PANCE, they aced the MCAT, STEP I, STEP II, STEP III, did a residency, and took their boards.  

 

That does not mean physicians are suprahuman, but it means that they have done the work that we have not, and they deserve to be at the top of the profession.  

I assume you knew this before you chose to apply for PA school instead of medical school, right?

[Boatswain2PA]

Ironically, people who may spend 7-8 years on average to earn their doctorate... lets say in physics, in general all go by their first names among postdocs and techs.

Probably not in the physics lab, or in the university classroom.  I would say most of them go by "Doctor" in that setting.

 

In the hospital or clinic, I call physicians Doctor.  I don't call anyone else Doctor in that setting.

[MediMike]

Giving someone the respect they EARNED by taking the very difficult path to MD/DO does not equal "idolizing" someone as "suprahuman".  

 

They took the long route.  They studied hard not for 2-3 years, but for 7-10 years.  They didn't take the GRE and PANCE, they aced the MCAT, STEP I, STEP II, STEP III, did a residency, and took their boards.  

 

That does not mean physicians are suprahuman, but it means that they have done the work that we have not, and they deserve to be at the top of the profession.  

 

I assume you knew this before you chose to apply for PA school instead of medical school, right?

 

How does the poster's choice to apply to PA school rather than MS apply to this discussion at all?

 

You seem to be a little worked up about this, unless I missed some rather significant posts I don't see Winter saying that MD/DOs deserve less respect, or that the path they took to reach their profession was equal to ours, merely that his/her colleagues insist on a first name basis.

 

If my colleagues want to be called Dr. X, whatever.  I think it's silly, and if they are obnoxious about it I have asked to be called PA Y in return.  We are all grown ups here, and I can call other grown ups by their first names without a problem.  Perhaps your military background has some bearing on your perspective, and that's totally fine.

 

Do you feel like you should be called PA Boatswain?  I mean, you worked hard for that title and deserve the respect that goes along with it?

[Boatswain2PA]

I'm not worked up about it.  Just sharing my perspective.  It probably has a lot to do with my military background.  

 

Titles used daily should be able to roll off the tongue.  Doctor Smith rolls off the tongue, where Physician Assistant Jones doesn't. 

 

In the military we called folks "Seaman Smith" daily, but rarely called people "Petty Officer Jones" informally/daily because it doesn't flow well. 

 

However, when I became Chief, my first name was Chief.  And then Senior Chief (which doesn't really roll off he tongue, but ya did it anyway).  

[chatcat]

I've been on a first name basis with the Docs I worked closely with in the past.

 

I've also asked one MD who was much younger than I if I could call him by his first name and he was offended . (Bless his young ego!)
 

I currently have multiple SPs whom I address as Doctor. Only one of my current SPs asked that I address him by his first name.

I have no problem with using "Doctor" in the professional setting and leave it up to the MDs to direct me to their preferences.

[cinntsp]

I think some of it is generational and it also depends on the context of the interaction.  In my personal experience, most of the younger docs in their 30s and early 40s prefer first names.  Middle-age docs can go either way but it's better to approach it conservatively unless they correct you.  The old-timers still prefer formality.  If I've never interacted with the person before(i.e. when calling a consult) I will use 'Dr. X' unless they introduce themselves by a first name.  Folks in the ICU were very chummy and used last names only(no Dr.).

 

Always use 'Dr. X' when speaking to patients. The doc can decide whether they are on a first name basis with them.

[Boatswain2PA]

I think some of it is generational .......

Did you just call me OLD?!?  lol

[tunafish]

Probably not in the physics lab, or in the university classroom.  I would say most of them go by "Doctor" in that setting.

 

In the hospital or clinic, I call physicians Doctor.  I don't call anyone else Doctor in that setting.

Exactly in the lab... university classroom doesn't apply to my original questions. I was talking about communication when you sit next to them in the office or at the workstation in the hospital.