[mkopinsky]

Just curious -

I found it interesting that most of the letters (with the exception of two) referred to you as Mr. Chang rather than Dr. Chang. I just since you had not technically finished your PhD by that point they were technically accurate. (The letter from Brown seems to be dated June and begins with an apology for delay, so maybe by that point you were actually a Dr.)

Did you find it demeaning that they didn't refer to faculty position applicants as Dr.?

[markchang]

Not at all. But then again, I'm not huge into titles. I also didn't defend until June, so it was technically correct.

[mkopinsky]

Part of what motivated my question today was the amusement at being called Dr. by some guy at work. Since I work in a hospital, he just assumed I was an MD. Alas, I am "just" a programmer.

[mdonahoe]

"Dr" Chang. :-)

[soyummy]

I find this surprising. Every professor I've ever had insisted, "I did the work, and as such, you will refer to me as Dr."

[eitally]

At UVA it's against the rules to call anyone doctor who isn't an MD.

[dctoedt]

At UVA it's against the rules to call anyone doctor who isn't an MD.

1. Academics actually have a better historical- and linguistic claim to the title "doctor" than do physicians and surgeons.

From Wikipedia: "Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre [dɔˈkeːrɛ] 'to teach'. It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the first universities." [1]

2. In the UK, surgeons are called "Mister" for historical reasons, as explained by a FAQ of the Royal College of Surgeons. [2]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)

[2] http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient_information/faqs/surgeons.ht...

[jholman]

I suspect I've taken classes with over 50 professors, and only heard that once. And in that case she'd repeatedly asked the students to use her first name, and someone kept calling her "Mrs", and eventually she corrected the student: "Not Mrs. Either <firstname> or Dr. <lastname>".

[throwaway1979]

Haha ... I've never been referred to as Doctor after the friendly "congrats Dr. X" when I finished my PhD. The funny thing is .. I only cared about it before I got my PhD. After that, it doesn't matter to me one bit.

Well .. it would be nice if I could put Dr. on my passport or drivers license. But that doesn't seem to be an option.

[tjr]

Eight years ago I taught as an adjunct instructor. I'm still getting physical junk mail addressing me as "Professor". It's kind of nice. :-)

[rm445]

Why would they address him with a title he didn't possess? And why would that be demeaning?

Academics tend to guard jealously their hard-won academic titles, and also to strive for accuracy in the things they do. An unsolicited 'Dr' might be extended as a courtesy to a graduand, i.e. someone who has already submitted and successfully defended their thesis viva voce. But surely not to someone who is merely 'finishing up' - a process that might never terminate.