Pondering the Questions
A patient of mine is getting ready to make a life change and was pondering the question;should we no longer call a physician a doctor or an attorney a lawyer if they stop practicing or if they change professions? At what point does a person stop being what they were trained for?
If an accountant leaves the profession and becomes a carpenter, is he/she still an accountant? If a dentist leaves dentistry and becomes a high school English teacher, is he/she no longer a dentist?
Do the degrees earned no longer have meaning if you do not continue to practice in your field or once a professional; always a professional?
At what point should a person stop referring to themselves as the professional they were trained and does it really matter?
I am hopeful that some day I’ll have the opportunity to stop the full-time practice of Medicine and venture out to some other things. At that time, will I still be a doctor and do my multiple years of experience not count for anything or should I never use the title once I quit practicing?
What are your thoughts?
If an accountant leaves the profession and becomes a carpenter, is he/she still an accountant? If a dentist leaves dentistry and becomes a high school English teacher, is he/she no longer a dentist?
Do the degrees earned no longer have meaning if you do not continue to practice in your field or once a professional; always a professional?
At what point should a person stop referring to themselves as the professional they were trained and does it really matter?
I am hopeful that some day I’ll have the opportunity to stop the full-time practice of Medicine and venture out to some other things. At that time, will I still be a doctor and do my multiple years of experience not count for anything or should I never use the title once I quit practicing?
What are your thoughts?
Labels: philosophy, thought
posted by Anonymous at 5:48 AM
3 Comments:
I think the use of titles throughout life is appropriate to confer respect, regardless of the whether the person is active in a profession or not. We should draw the line where the use of the title is misleading.
I have always found it interesting that those in the health care professions insist on being called "Doctor" by their patients and nurses, while I dont find this among those with Ph.D's. The term "Doctor" merely indicates that you have a Doctoral degree, it not as if your parents named you Doctor at birth. Interestingly enough I recently saw a cardiologist who practices at Clark Memorial (as a patient) who turned me on to this idea. He asked to be called by his first name "because my mother didnt name me Doctor and I have no intention of addressing you as Master of Business Administration Evans. Could this all be due to an ego-driven personality that is inculcated in those in the medical profession during their training. Furthermore you are my employee when I visit you for healthcare, educational training etc. Just a thought, however I continue to use the word Doctor when addressing MD's, dentists, vets etc, because we have all been brainwashed to do so.
Interesting subject...and one that I often find discussing with others who have retired, are just beginning retirement, or are anticipating it.
When a person retires, one of the most difficult adjustments is redefining who you are. You are no longer that person you have known yourself to be for years. Society appears to make it easy sometimes, because for some professions, the title remains. But a title doesn't make the person. For others, the title is dropped, duties and responsibilities are changed and the individual is left "hanging".
Who am I? Self worth can be challenged and boredom can set in. Hobbies help, but for someone who has worked his entire life, contributed to society,and enjoyed the respect of colleagues, hobbies eventually seem like a waste of time. Hobbies are similar to vacations taken during the prime of life. Vacations were pleasant diversions, but eventually everyone gets back to work. An individual still must deal with the question: "Who am I now?" and the task of redefining oneself must be met.
I recently had a discussion with a retiring MD and advised him of the "Redefining Period." He refused to listen and responded with, "I'll always be Dr.______. My thoughts at the time were: "He'll learn. It just takes time, but we all go through it."
It usually takes about 2 years for this adjustment to evolve. My dentist and I discussed the effects of retirement prior to my own. I didn't understand the lengthy adjustment period he witnessed in other patients...until I personally experienced it myself. I often advise those preparing to retire to be aware of the need to "redefine" oneself. Some listen...some don't.
Some people never adjust and those are the ones who are unhappy, frequently sick, and struggle with part time jobs.
Society sometimes does it for us.
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