Nice Article About Professional Titles

[andersenpa]

This is written by a psychiatrist who teaches PA students but is applicable for all PAs.

Well thought out and supportive words from a doc.

 

http://www.jaapa.com/addressing-pa-students-in-a-professional-way/article/231442/?DCMP=EMC-JAAPA_Musings

[andersenpa]

This is written by a psychiatrist who teaches PA students but is applicable for all PAs.

Well thought out and supportive words from a doc.

 

http://www.jaapa.com/addressing-pa-students-in-a-professional-way/article/231442/?DCMP=EMC-JAAPA_Musings

[Joelseff]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

[Joelseff]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

[GeneValgene]

not sure if it's just me, but it slightly bothered me when he was saying that it's ok for medical students to be called doctor and pa students to be called pas. at my training institution, medical students always introduced themselves as medical students, and pa students introduced themselves as pa students. i think it's slightly misleading to the patient at these teaching institutions if students don't clearly identify themselves as such.

[GeneValgene]

not sure if it's just me, but it slightly bothered me when he was saying that it's ok for medical students to be called doctor and pa students to be called pas. at my training institution, medical students always introduced themselves as medical students, and pa students introduced themselves as pa students. i think it's slightly misleading to the patient at these teaching institutions if students don't clearly identify themselves as such.

[EMEDPA]

I like "PA smith", etc

I work with a lot of ex-military pa's and many of them do that.

I think it's ok for med students to introduce themselves as "student doctors". "hi, I'm joe blow, one of the student doctors on the urology service today". thier name tag doesn't say md and they are in fact student doctors.

[EMEDPA]

I like "PA smith", etc

I work with a lot of ex-military pa's and many of them do that.

I think it's ok for med students to introduce themselves as "student doctors". "hi, I'm joe blow, one of the student doctors on the urology service today". thier name tag doesn't say md and they are in fact student doctors.

[sailordeac]

My current attending on my rotation calls the MS3s "doctor" in front of patients, and will follow that with something like,"Well, I call him doctor provisionally anyway...he's still got a little work to do but we think he'll make it." The med students aren't terribly comfortable with it. I don't think he quite knows how to address me.

 

I typically introduce myself as,"I'm Jane Doe, and I'm a PA student." Personally, I think "PA Smith" sounds a little stilted. I'm not sure what I'll plan to go by in practice yet - I would really rather go by my first name, but can see how Ms./Mr. would sound a little more respectable.

[sailordeac]

My current attending on my rotation calls the MS3s "doctor" in front of patients, and will follow that with something like,"Well, I call him doctor provisionally anyway...he's still got a little work to do but we think he'll make it." The med students aren't terribly comfortable with it. I don't think he quite knows how to address me.

 

I typically introduce myself as,"I'm Jane Doe, and I'm a PA student." Personally, I think "PA Smith" sounds a little stilted. I'm not sure what I'll plan to go by in practice yet - I would really rather go by my first name, but can see how Ms./Mr. would sound a little more respectable.

[ajnelson]

I always hear from patients that they like the PA at their doctors office much better and they feel that it is easier to talk to them and for them to be understood by the PA. I wonder how much of this comes from the fact that by addressing most of us by first name they feel more 'collegial' and making them feel more comfortable from the beginning. Sharing x & y with Dr/Mr. Jones doesn't feel acceptable, whereas sharing x&y with Jeff seems a little less 'strange'. Just a thought to spark a little more conversation.

 

I'm on the fence on this, I usually always go by my first name, just because I've never felt like PA 'smith' sounds right, but I'm pretty sure it would help me get taken more seriously...

[ajnelson]

I always hear from patients that they like the PA at their doctors office much better and they feel that it is easier to talk to them and for them to be understood by the PA. I wonder how much of this comes from the fact that by addressing most of us by first name they feel more 'collegial' and making them feel more comfortable from the beginning. Sharing x & y with Dr/Mr. Jones doesn't feel acceptable, whereas sharing x&y with Jeff seems a little less 'strange'. Just a thought to spark a little more conversation.

 

I'm on the fence on this, I usually always go by my first name, just because I've never felt like PA 'smith' sounds right, but I'm pretty sure it would help me get taken more seriously...

[SilverPA]

I'm not a military PA but I work in a military setting. I am referred to ALL of the airmen as "PA Clawson," which sounds just fine - not stilted at all. When I go into a room, I usually say, "Hello, my name is Terri and I'm a PA." I use my first name because not only do I expect to work as a team with my collaborating physician partners but also with my patients. I seem to have a better-than-average relationship with many of my patients and they seem to tell me things, and work with me in ways that they do not with other providers. Is it the first name? Don't know but I have no problem with it. Why should I set myself in any way above my patient and their need for care. After all, I believe I work in customer service - my service just happens to be medicine. All this may be because I have worked outside the United States for most of my practice years and people are already in such awe when they walk in your office, it doesn't seem to require anything more.

 

I did find it interesting that many of the folks who have responded find the title PA So-and-So unfamiliar or uncomfortable but isn't that exactly why you should demand it be used? A physician referring to you as Mr/Ms whomever doesn't help our cause whatsoever and many people have turned their hearing off by the time you get to Jane Doe, PA - they simply don't hear the PA part. Put it up front where it belongs.

 

Just my two cents.

[SilverPA]

I'm not a military PA but I work in a military setting. I am referred to ALL of the airmen as "PA Clawson," which sounds just fine - not stilted at all. When I go into a room, I usually say, "Hello, my name is Terri and I'm a PA." I use my first name because not only do I expect to work as a team with my collaborating physician partners but also with my patients. I seem to have a better-than-average relationship with many of my patients and they seem to tell me things, and work with me in ways that they do not with other providers. Is it the first name? Don't know but I have no problem with it. Why should I set myself in any way above my patient and their need for care. After all, I believe I work in customer service - my service just happens to be medicine. All this may be because I have worked outside the United States for most of my practice years and people are already in such awe when they walk in your office, it doesn't seem to require anything more.

 

I did find it interesting that many of the folks who have responded find the title PA So-and-So unfamiliar or uncomfortable but isn't that exactly why you should demand it be used? A physician referring to you as Mr/Ms whomever doesn't help our cause whatsoever and many people have turned their hearing off by the time you get to Jane Doe, PA - they simply don't hear the PA part. Put it up front where it belongs.

 

Just my two cents.

[Dan Kemp]

I'm still in school so no doubt you folks have more experience here than me, so I ask: How often do you run into patients who continue to call you "Dr." or "Doc" or refer to you as "the doctor" when speaking to someone else? Based on my (limited) shadowing and rotation experience thus far I've seen it happen relatively commonly. Obviously as a PA you have an obligation to make it clear that you are not a physician nor are you purporting to be one, however at what point do you leave the issue alone, as it seems some patients are simply more comfortable addressing you that way, and how often does this come up?

[Dan Kemp]

I'm still in school so no doubt you folks have more experience here than me, so I ask: How often do you run into patients who continue to call you "Dr." or "Doc" or refer to you as "the doctor" when speaking to someone else? Based on my (limited) shadowing and rotation experience thus far I've seen it happen relatively commonly. Obviously as a PA you have an obligation to make it clear that you are not a physician nor are you purporting to be one, however at what point do you leave the issue alone, as it seems some patients are simply more comfortable addressing you that way, and how often does this come up?

[EMEDPA]

I always introduce myself as a pa. my id says pa, emt-p. my rx says pa, my after visit instructions say pa, etc. I believe that is due dilligence. I don't have to spell it out more than that. I work alone most of the time so even if they don't want to see a pa they have no other choice except to leave.

I bet if you called 100 of my patients the day after I saw them 90% + would think I was a doc.

I don't bother correcting them anymore, it never works anyway and it's time better spent seeing the next pt on a busy shift.

"actually I'm one of the pa's here".

"ok, thanks doc. oh and doc, can you call that script in for me"

"sure".

[EMEDPA]

I always introduce myself as a pa. my id says pa, emt-p. my rx says pa, my after visit instructions say pa, etc. I believe that is due dilligence. I don't have to spell it out more than that. I work alone most of the time so even if they don't want to see a pa they have no other choice except to leave.

I bet if you called 100 of my patients the day after I saw them 90% + would think I was a doc.

I don't bother correcting them anymore, it never works anyway and it's time better spent seeing the next pt on a busy shift.

"actually I'm one of the pa's here".

"ok, thanks doc. oh and doc, can you call that script in for me"

"sure".

[Beorp]

not sure if it's just me, but it slightly bothered me when he was saying that it's ok for medical students to be called doctor and pa students to be called pas. at my training institution, medical students always introduced themselves as medical students, and pa students introduced themselves as pa students. i think it's slightly misleading to the patient at these teaching institutions if students don't clearly identify themselves as such.

 

I was also a bit confused by this. I guess medical students must be addressed as "doctor" in some hospitals since the author mentioned it, but certainly this is the exception and not the rule in 2012.

[Beorp]

not sure if it's just me, but it slightly bothered me when he was saying that it's ok for medical students to be called doctor and pa students to be called pas. at my training institution, medical students always introduced themselves as medical students, and pa students introduced themselves as pa students. i think it's slightly misleading to the patient at these teaching institutions if students don't clearly identify themselves as such.

 

I was also a bit confused by this. I guess medical students must be addressed as "doctor" in some hospitals since the author mentioned it, but certainly this is the exception and not the rule in 2012.

[physasst]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

 

Nope...Surgeons in the UK go by the title "Mister", and they will be quite offended if you call them Dr.. They take it very seriously. It's a throwback to the days when physicians didn't do procedures and would talk a local barber or handyman into doing the procedure for them while they observed and directed the procedure.

 

Registrars in the UK (residents) are called doctor, even surgical residents, but when they graduate to an attending surgical position, they earn the title Mister....

 

Funny. Two of my docs have been referring to me as Dr. to patients since I graduated 2 weeks ago with my DHSc.....I've had to correct both, and explain that while the gesture was quite nice and appreciated, that they could not continue to do this, as I cannot call myself that in a clinical role.

 

Also, I was introduced as Dr. at several research meetings here as well....which IS appropriate, although I could care less if they do that.

[physasst]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

 

Nope...Surgeons in the UK go by the title "Mister", and they will be quite offended if you call them Dr.. They take it very seriously. It's a throwback to the days when physicians didn't do procedures and would talk a local barber or handyman into doing the procedure for them while they observed and directed the procedure.

 

Registrars in the UK (residents) are called doctor, even surgical residents, but when they graduate to an attending surgical position, they earn the title Mister....

 

Funny. Two of my docs have been referring to me as Dr. to patients since I graduated 2 weeks ago with my DHSc.....I've had to correct both, and explain that while the gesture was quite nice and appreciated, that they could not continue to do this, as I cannot call myself that in a clinical role.

 

Also, I was introduced as Dr. at several research meetings here as well....which IS appropriate, although I could care less if they do that.

[physasst]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

 

Nope...Surgeons in the UK go by the title "Mister", and they will be quite offended if you call them Dr.. They take it very seriously. It's a throwback to the days when physicians didn't do procedures and would talk a local barber or handyman into doing the procedure for them while they observed and directed the procedure. Registrars in the UK (residents) are called doctor, even surgical residents, but when they graduate to an attending surgical position, they earn the title Mister....

 

Funny. Two of my docs have been referring to me as Dr. to patients since I graduated 2 weeks ago with my DHSc.....I've had to correct both, and explain that while the gesture was quite nice and appreciated, that they could not continue to do this, as I cannot call myself that in a clinical role. Also, I was introduced as Dr. at several research meetings here as well....which IS appropriate, although I could really care less if they do that.

[physasst]

Thanjs andersen, that was an interesting take from a MD. I prefer Mr. Over PA so-and-so. It just rolls off better. Aren't non Doctorate physicians in the UK addressed this way? Until we get (which i doubt) a

title that sticks, Mr./Mrs./Ms. I think suffices. Unless they want to call us by degree like doctor then those with the MS can be called Master! Lol

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

 

Nope...Surgeons in the UK go by the title "Mister", and they will be quite offended if you call them Dr.. They take it very seriously. It's a throwback to the days when physicians didn't do procedures and would talk a local barber or handyman into doing the procedure for them while they observed and directed the procedure. Registrars in the UK (residents) are called doctor, even surgical residents, but when they graduate to an attending surgical position, they earn the title Mister....

 

Funny. Two of my docs have been referring to me as Dr. to patients since I graduated 2 weeks ago with my DHSc.....I've had to correct both, and explain that while the gesture was quite nice and appreciated, that they could not continue to do this, as I cannot call myself that in a clinical role. Also, I was introduced as Dr. at several research meetings here as well....which IS appropriate, although I could really care less if they do that.

[mackjacks]

I work at a huge academic medical facility and some of the residents don't even call themselves doctor. I've heard along the lines of "Hi, I'm FirstName_LastName, I'm the urology physician on call tonight" multiple times. Thought it was weird at first, but I guess some of them are really laid back. Every PA I have shadowed and PAs at work have said "I'm FirstName_LastName, I'm a physician assistant. I wonder if this could be a regional thing at all?