Can I be called Doctor John Doe if I have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree?

Question

I know you can be called Dr if you have a PhD in medicine or education and such but can you be called Dr if you have a Pharm.D (doctor of pharmacy)?

Answer 1

If you take a doctoral degree course and are awarded the degree - whether it is an academic doctorate (PhD) or a professional doctorate (MD, JD, Pharm.D, DMin etc.) you are entitled to call yourself, and be called, "Doctor".  You have a doctoral degree - you are a doctor (of whatever).

However, in certain professions it is customary not to use the title (Doctor).  I understand that in the US JDs are not usually called "Doctor".  I don't know about doctors of pharmacy.

In the UK nursing practitioners who have a PhD are not called "Doctor" because it would confuse their patients.  Only physicians are called "Doctor".  Surgeons are always "Mister" (or Miss, Mrs, Ms).  This is for historical reasons - and a sort of inverted professional snobbery.

Incidentally, in the UK very few medical doctors (physicians) in the UK have doctorates.  They have a dual bachelor degree (MB BS - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery).  However, they are always called "doctor".  (I actually have two friends who are medical doctors (physicians) with PhDs - one in pharmacology and one in pathology.  I tease them that they should be called Doctor Doctor, rather as the Germans do.

Answer 2

Don't do pharmacy if you want the prestige of a doctor but don't want to go through the work.  

Answer 3

Yes. Once you receive a doctorate whether it be academic which is a PhD or professional like PharmD,MD, DDS, JD, AuD, PsyD, etc you will be referred to as Dr. so and so. At your graduation, they will say Dr. so and so when you want across the stage. That will be the proudest day of your life!! Good Luck.

-red-

Answer 4

Yes, if you want to.