Title of Dr should be sufficient for all doctors

I am not concerned about the use of the title Mr for surgeons,
perhaps it should be used by most medics. But I am amused by the pride
with which it is associated. I understand that most doctors in the UK do
not have a research degree and so I am of the view that usually 'Doctor'
is more of a job description than a title- rather like Postman Pat or
Fireman Sam.

Editor - I read with great interest the discussion of Loudon and
Crisp on the title of doctor. To mix up the story I will describe the
German situation: We have a clear differentiation between Drs. and
Mr./Mrs. Contrary to the UK, where the title tells us something about the
working field of the physician, the German differentiation is fully based
on having earned an MD-title (German term: Dr. med.) or not. Therefore,
German doctors are desperately trying to earn an MD-title to be called
"doctor" by the patients. Being called "just" Mr./Mrs. is a clear sign of
inferiority to "doctors". Mr./Mrs. usually do not get the position of a
head of department.

After having passed the preliminary medical exams, German medical students
are allowed to start with their MD-thesis. As the research interests and
abilities vary from student to student, but each individual desperately
tries to earn an MD title, the quality of a German MD-thesis varies
extensively.

Furthermore, as in Germany a PhD is also called "doctor" (of natural
sciences i.e.), patients may mix up the profession of a person called
"doctor" completely, e. g. when encountering a doctor for chemistry but
expecting a physician.

The disaster is completed by the title of professor. This title can be
only be achieved after having completed a second thesis, called
"habilitation" which may be compared to a high quality PhD thesis, usually
covering at least the authorship within twenty peer reviewed research
papers.
Having received the habilitation you are first entitled "Private lecturer"
and after approx. 4 years of continous research you can ask for the title
of an associated professor. There are about 10000 to 20000 medical
professors in Germany - most of them are head of departments in peripheral
hospitals and have stopped doing research.

The British system is not as absurd as it seems if you compare it to other
countries.

I entirely agree with the ambiguity of British system in addressing
surgeons as Mr. Few years ago we had this debate in Tasmania and had a
secret ballot among the surgeons there.Unfortunately, the proponents of
the Dr group lost by one vote-may be things will be different if the
voting is done now following your article.

To the editor,

DR

1. Real Estate. dining room.

dr

1. door.

2. dram.

Dr.

1. Doctor.

2. Drive (used in street names).

dr.

1. debit.

2. debtor.

3. drachma.

4. dram.

Random House Webster's Electronic Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1992.

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It was with great surprise that I read Dr. Crisp's letter stating
that Mr and Miss would be possible addressing titles for physicians in
England, according to specialty.

I strongly agree with him that all MDs should be adequately called
"Doctors" and nothing else, due to reasons he mentioned. In Brazil, 100%
of the physicians are treated as "Dr." by peers and patients alike, with
very few exceptions reserved for old university "Professors". Academic
positions receive sometimes the "Professor Dr." treatment, but then only
in official documents and letters. Oh, and of course there are the quite
rare instance where you find some snobs wanting to be addressed by "Dr.
Dr." because of both MD, PhD degrees.

Nevertheless, many times I know I have done a good job to patients
when they start addressing me directly by my first name, without any other
qualification. Medicine, after all, is not in descriptive apellations...

Yours,

Carlos A. von Mühlen
Rheumatologist