May I ask question regarding those with PhDs? Would you please clarify for me - if a person holds a PhD - should Doctor be used in front of his name? I apologize if these questions are answered in your book! I’ll try to get it.
– Mac Bozman, Council Bluffs
Dear Mr. Bozman:
This ‘doctor‘ question comes up often.
Holders of medical doctorates (medical, osteopaths, dentists, podiatrist, vets…) use Dr. (Name) professionally and socially.
Holders of academic doctorates in academia and research usually do too.
Holders of academic doctorates outside of academia and research … corporate and business … usually don’t. E.g., every lawyer now-a-days is a JD … doctor of jurisprudence, but none use Dr. … and a holder of a doctorate in finance at a bank probably doesn’t either.
So the good news is that if it’s a medical doctor and if he works at a college or in scientific research … you can address him as Dr. (Name) safely.
And the bad news is with PhD’s outside those arenas … you need to call to see what his preference is.
The key is “the preference of the bearer” …. it’s not up to me or you to decide if someone has a PhD and want’s to be addressed as Dr. If that’s what he want’s I will go along with it for him. A person’s name belongs to them.
– Robert Hickey www.formsofaddress.info
How Do I Know if a PhD Should Be Addressed as “Dr.”?
June 23, 2009 by Robert Hickey
