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Have an aquaintance who’s dad is a veterinarian. She told a group of people (dad wasn’t present) that “my dad is a doctor.”

Found that a little odd. If anything I’d say, “my dad is a veterinarian.” The group was talking about bad handwriting and she was saying, “oh, I know all about bad handwriting, my dad is a doctor”

Feel like this is almost a fib... brought on by her insecurity.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 1:11 PM, July 13th (Monday)]

No. All the ones I know go by dr. Our main vet went to school as long as a people doctor. He's the one that talked my daughter out of going to vet school. Said if you're going, go for people.

The official title is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, so technically she wasn't incorrect in saying that.

They are doctors. I don't know if this is still the case but it used to be harder to get into vet school than med school.

I know some people that use Dr to introduce themselves and others that do not unless in a professional setting.

My cousin is a vet and doesn’t use Dr unless it’s professionally. I guess that’s why it threw me off?

Absolutely.

I know for a fact that becoming a vet is much more difficult than becoming a physician. They deserve every bit of respect and title they have earned. Now my veterinarian clinic is owned by an older guy and he tends to hire young vets straight out of one of the top vet schools just down the road from St. L. That said they all go by Dr and first name. Like Dr Sue, Dr Joe etc. But he runs a great clinic and everyone is very real and do not put on airs.

As far as this girl.... who knows, and better yet who cares.... I would be tempted to say, but isn't your dad an animal Dr not a people dr, does bad handwriting go into that realm as well?

But I'm a bitch and call bullshit when I see it always.

they all go by Dr and first name

That's so funny - my vet goes by that too. Dr. First Name.

They absolutely deserve that respect - the schooling and ultimate pay are really a labor of love for many I've known through the years.

That said Gotta - it sounds like your acquaintance had a little moment of puffy britches/intentional misleading on that. People seem to looove to throw around the whole Dr. thing sometimes. Sounds like she actually wanted folks to think her Dad is a people doc which somehow made it "look better" than a vet?

I also know someone whose son is a Pharmacist (I think technically Dr. of Pharmacy. Is that right tush or others in the know?). But they always say, "My son is a doctor." Not "My son is a Pharmacist." Personally, I think it's misleading.

I mean seriously, some of us around here are PhD's which is also no trifling accomplishment. But rarely walk around saying Dr. this or Dr. that. Usually it's used in an academic setting, such as when addressing a professor.

I mean seriously, some of us around here are PhD's which is also no trifling accomplishment. But rarely walk around saying Dr. this or Dr. that. Usually it's used in an academic setting, such as when addressing a professor.

My mom used to address mail (late 80s to late 90s, so snail mail) to Dr. and Mrs. __________, after my H got his Ph.D. It was sort of embarrassing, and H felt very uncomfortable about it.

Yes pahrmacists are Doctorate level educated, typically referred to as a PharmD. Also of note, most PT's are now Doctorate level educated too, as are NP's, or anyone going into NP or PT school at this point basically have to get their doctorate prior to boards. So they can all be called Dr.. If they want to be called Dr I will call them Dr. Kudos for all the schooling. It's freaking hard, and I didn't have the focus, money or drive to do it.

I mean seriously, some of us around here are PhD's which is also no trifling accomplishment. But rarely walk around saying Dr. this or Dr. that. Usually it's used in an academic setting, such as when addressing a professor.

I'm a phd (phony doctor hahaha) and would never even think of introducing myself as Dr Zen in a social setting. Even in a professional setting most of us don't, since it's usually assumed.

I have found students generally address us as Professor Zen, since, again, all of the profs have phds and prof is a higher rank than dr at European unis (American too?).

Yes a veterinarian is a doctor, but it seems a bit weird that kiddo refers to him as a doc in a social setting. What's so bad about calling him a veterinarian? Any half-way educated person knows that a vet is a doc. Jeeeeeeeezzzzz

t/j

prof is a higher rank than dr at European unis (American too?).

It's been a long time, but in my experience, "Professor" was more of an umbrella term - could be used for Assistant Prof, Associate, Department Chair - no matter the degree: PhD, ABD, Master's - whatever. Those professors who preferred being called Dr. "Zen's last name" would usually introduce themselves that way to students.

I get called "Professor" all the time at the college where I teach. It's an ingrained habit for students regardless of the actual degree(s) held by the instructor. I find it irksome because I am not hung up on titles, but whatever. I try to nip it in the bud on the first night of class by telling them to call me whatever they feel comfortable with, even first name only. Most of my adult students are comfortable with first name only, which is what I prefer. It is usually the younger students that stick to the "Professor Phoenix." I just prefer not to use them, given a choice. My dad will even introduce me to some of his old folks friends as "Professor Phoenix," and I tell him constantly to knock that crap off. I think he does it now just to screw with me.

I do know some people that are REALLY hung up on titles and get highly offended if you don't address them accordingly. To each their own.

Yeah Phoenix, me too. I introduce myself as (Zen's first name) and tell them they will get faster service calling me that because otherwise I might not know who they are talking to!!

But I think a lot of the (young) students prefer formality, or maybe it's just that they aren't used to relative informality.

I mean seriously, some of us around here are PhD's which is also no trifling accomplishment. But rarely walk around saying Dr. this or Dr. that. Usually it's used in an academic setting, such as when addressing a professor.

We have a client at work who's a retired professor in her late 80s now. I totally made her day a couple of years ago by addressing her as Dr. LastName. I mean, I could hear it in her voice over the phone - first the surprise, then the smile. I think she had been perfectly fine with being known as Mrs. LastName, but appreciated the reminder that she was more than just that, too.

I think this was a case of insecurity and trying to puff herself up. There’s a backstory to this whole question and i can’t get into it in Off Topic. But it was just a really odd jump from “this person has messy writing “ to mentioning her father and his job.

I definitely call my vet Dr. Last Name! She’s earned it! But I wouldn’t automatically think she has messy writing, I think of people doctors as the docs with messy writing

Absolutely.

Actually, it is more difficult to get into veterinary school than it is to get into medical school. Vets go through 4 years of veterinary school (same as MDs), and some go on to specialize, which is a 3-year residency just like human medicine.

They are definitely doctors, and should be addressed as such.

Signed, proud mom of a vet.

Cat

PS: The reason they introduce themselves as "Dr. FirstName" is that they are dealing with their patients' people. They would be introduced in a formal or academic setting as "Dr. LastName."

I get called smart-ass and know-it-all quite often – even on other sites!

I guess Smart Ass is the equivalent of a Dr. and Know it All makes me a professor at it, so please call me Professor Doctor Bigger from now on.

Heck... Most of those that call me smart-ass and know-it-all are real bastards and/or bitches, so it might even make me a veterinarian...

Reading through responses, i think I gave a bad title. I definitely call my veterinarian Dr., I call the physical therapist Dr., I call PhDs I know Dr.

But in a social setting where no one was talking about occupations, etc., I think it was strange to link the topic we were discussing to her father being a doctor. I replayed the scene in my mind thinking, if her father was a physician, would that have been weird? Yes, it would have sounded like she was bragging.

Thanks for your responses all!

The veterinarians I have used over the years are generally Doctors of the finest degree. I don't call them Dr. so and so. I use their first name.

When I make an appointment with my medical doctor I tell the desk Dr. ____. When I speak with him I call him by his first name. My new dentist introduced herself to me as Dr. ____. If she insists she will be allowed to address me as Mr. Steadychevy. I don't have a PhD. She may have to find a new patient.

I don't know why we are doing distance psychoanalysis on the motivation of the acquaintance. She was noting that her dad had bad handwriting and he is entitled to use Dr. on his office door and business cards. It is much harder to get into vet school up here in the far north than med school even though that is hard, too. He deserves the title. He earned it.

I have more than a few friends and acquaintances who are PhD.'s (and masters) and most of them have atrocious writing. I'm old. At university we hand wrote notes in lectures. That doesn't contribute to penmanship. I sometimes can't decipher what I've written. I must be a doctor.

But, again, the acquaintance could have made a perfectly innocent comment. Her dad is a doctor. Why would she be required to say "my dad is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine" in a casual conversation about bad handwriting. We have no idea what the motivation was and shouldn't be guessing.

You’re right steadychevy- this is a person I’m pissed off with and was kind of picking at my memories to find insecurities in her. I’m doing a lot of amateur analysis on her and this one came up in my head.