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Do you call your MD/DO colleagues "Doctor" or first name?


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For some reason, I have always found it very hard to use first names, even when they introduce themselves saying "oh, call me Kate". Perhaps it's subconscious awareness of PA "lower rank" (for whatever that's worth) or something from my PA-S days...but I still call doctors, even years my junior, "Doc".  Where do y'all stand on this?

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I have always been on a first name basis with my docs. Once in a great while one outside our department will tell me to call them doctor and I'm happy to oblige...if they go first. That PhD should get used for something once in a while. Not surprisingly they would rather be on a first name basis than call me doctor. 🙂

In my current position they have this habit, from before my time, of just calling everyone by their last name. It is odd but it is the current culture so I just roll with it.

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In front of patients I always use Dr soandso but privately or socially I use their first name.

I introduce my psychologist colleague as "my colleague, psychologist Dr. Ray" so the patient knows who I am taking them to see. 

The VA has a tendency to use Mr and Ms for many people - politeness and likely military formality. I get called PA Reality Check a lot or Ms Reality Check. 

I have encountered a few folks over the years who will only take Doctor from everyone. Bugs me - not a deity. 

Patients always ask me what they are supposed to call me. Military folks call me PA Reality Check but my older patients often fear offending me if they know I am not a doctor but not sure what to say. I give them my first name and tell them it's ok by me, no pretenses here.

And whatever they call me is sooooo much better than "that lady" followed by complaints.....

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In front of patients, I always use Doctor ________ so they know whom it is

 

In just about every other situation it is first name if I know you - If I have never meet you I call you Doctor ___________

 

Almost always the first thing out of both our mouths is call me ________ my first name....

 

those that insist on Doctor - well they are usually doing a self proctology exam with their own head and I avoid them like terd on a stick....

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In front of patients I always address them as Dr. ___.  When not in front of patients - it depends.  Some I call by their first name, usually those I work closely with or with whom I am friends.  The ones who demand it, well, I oblige, but try to avoid them at every opportunity because they are generally not well liked over all.  

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