Emily Yoffe, Let's See How You Feel About Using Your Professional Title After You Earn One

I frequently read the Dear Prudence column written by Emily Yoffe at Slate.com.  Her column posted on July 16th includes a segment relating to the use of professional titles on wedding invitations (the parents of the groom and the groom are all physicians), and her advice on that subject seemed perfectly reasonable to me.  However, she went on to add the following:

"I have more of a problem with people with Ph.D.s using the Dr. title, which I think is better reserved for those with medical degrees."

Now, in the interests of full disclosure, I have a Ph.D. in Biology.  As you can imagine, this comment rubbed me the wrong way in a big way.   I earned the damned degree.  It was a lot of work.  If I want to call myself "Dr.," I can.  Legitimately.  I don't want her cheapening my degree by implying that it isn't worth the professional title that customarily accompanies it within the professional arena.  It is worth noting that the average Ph.D. candidate in the sciences (I can't speak for other fields) spends MORE time in his or her doctoral program than does the average medical school student in medical school.  When I was in grad school, the national average for a Biology Ph.D. was about 6.5 years door-to-door.  Med school is typically a four-year program.

Now, I can completely understand that calling yourself "Dr." in a public (as opposed to professional) context when you do not have a medical degree can cause confusion.  Especially when a medical professional is needed in a hurry.  For this and other reasons, I actually don't use the "Dr." title in general life.  Most of the people with whom I regularly interact probably have no idea that I could.

According to Wikipedia, Ms. Yoffe is a journalist.  If she has earned a doctoral degree, the entry does not include it.  But I would venture to guess that if she had, she would be less dismissive of those of us who earned the right to use the title "Dr." via an avenue other than medical school.  Even if we don't.