How to address a Pharmacist?

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ValerianKeyblade@reddit

Would you greet a dentist as "Doctor"?

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AnastasiaRomanot@reddit

Yes, because they have to be a qualified doctor to be a dentist. Their title will be Dr Name.

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The degree is separate in UK and they don't get the honorary doctorate title in the same way as medical doctors do. I do call my dentist Dr because he has more than one PhD and I have a surgeon I call Mr because he is a surgeon with assosciated PhD and he didn't want to be confused with those mere doctors.

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AnastasiaRomanot@reddit

The surgeon one I was aware of, and it dates back to medieval times when the Drs were quacks and the surgeons were actually the better of the two.

It still feels disrespectful to disregard their medical degree, even if it’s the norm.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

Then I should be calling my vets and my chartered engineers doctors as they have similar needs for extended degrees plus tested practical experience before being allowed to practice and require continuing professional development. My vet is a doctor - she has done several post-grad degrees as continual professional development - but she just uses her first name.

I always hate it when my doctor tries to imply only doctors do continuing professional development. Every profession with professional memberships has that demand.

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AnastasiaRomanot@reddit

I never said doctors were the only ones to do professional development, just that they deserve the title their qualifications bestow.

I’d say the same for a phd in fields outside of medicine too.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

I'd never said you did. I just find it annoying my doctor seems to think they are. I have had enough run ins with doctors due to have lifelong conditions that they feel can be cured by dieting, exercise, just accepting period pains should lead to collapsing etc that I don't think they need any more help getting on their pedestal.

Most doctors don't have a PhD. They have a bachelor degree. The doctor title is honourary. It is an incredibly hard degree to get into and pass. I am not denying that.

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ValerianKeyblade@reddit

My dentists have never been Doctors, lol. My last dentist actually used my records to inform her Master's thesis

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Justplaythefkngnote@reddit

I called my dentist by her first name for years before realising she was a doctor. If your dentist didn't qualify as a doctor first, careful!

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ValerianKeyblade@reddit

I looked it up and turns out dentists are not required to be (and commonly are not) Doctors, although there has been a push to refer to them as such as an honourary title.

I guess dentist is kind of a muddy one so wasn't the clear example I hoped for!

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Tuarangi@reddit

They don't need to be a medical doctor, they will no doubt cover some similar things as qualified healthcare professionals but dentists do a 5 year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS or BChD) then training, while doctors do a 5 year medical degree (MBBS or MBChB) then training

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Profession-Unable@reddit

They are doctors in that they have a doctoral degree but they are not medical doctors. I think they were just ensuring that they were clear about who the were.

If you really want to offend a medical practitioner, call a surgeon ‘doctor’.

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Boulder_Brock@reddit (OP)

!answer Thank you.

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Profession-Unable@reddit

You’re welcome!

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Single-Samurai@reddit

They don’t have doctoral degrees, they have masters - specifically the MPharm. Older pharmacists will have a bachelor’s as a BPharm. Source: am one

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Profession-Unable@reddit

What about the DPharm?

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Single-Samurai@reddit

Usually researchers

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Kiss_It_Goodbyeee@reddit

That's rare and not required to be a practising pharmacist.

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Single-Samurai@reddit

This is not the answer. Newly qualified pharmacists will have a masters degree as an MPharm, whilst older pharmacists have a BPharm.

As others have said, it is illegal to represent oneself as a Doctor (as in physician) under the Medical Act 1983.

Source: am a pharmacist.

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neilm1000@reddit

They are doctors in that they have a doctoral degree

Most of them don't.

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Profession-Unable@reddit

You’re right, I should have said ‘could be/might be’. My brother is a pharmacist and also a doctor so I was extrapolating but you are correct.

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TheSecretIsMarmite@reddit

A good morning/afternoon would suffice.

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Accomplished_Bison87@reddit

Just say hello? I would never say “hello doctor” to an MD, just like I wouldn’t say “hello mister” to a man on a video call

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msbookworm23@reddit

"now let's start again..."

This is more offensive than accidentally calling a pharmacist "Doctor", did they even introduce their self?

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NecroVelcro@reddit

*themselves

No, it isn't more offensive. No presumption should have been made. "Hello" suffices perfectly well as a greeting.

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msbookworm23@reddit

Thanks, I tried a few different spellings and none of them looked right.

The pharmacist came across as condescending to me. It's something you might say to a 5 year old or someone practising a speech, not someone you're having a conversation with.

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Justplaythefkngnote@reddit

yeah that was a bit unnecessary! They may be one of those pharmacists who don't make the cut as a doctor and has really wanted to be one. So it's probably irritating to them to have to correct you in that and draw attention to it lol

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VMS_UK@reddit

I would have maliciously complied after that comment

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Away-Ad4393@reddit

Say “ Hello am I speaking to the pharmacist?”

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HalfAgony-HalfHope@reddit

Some pharmacists might hold a PhD and could technically use the term Dr. But I'd imagine it could cause confusion for patients and its probably not a good idea.

Otherwise, a pharmacist is not a Dr and shouldn't be addressed as one.

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OneDay_OneLife@reddit

I prefer to go with Lord Mighty Supreme.

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smushs88@reddit

“Alright boss man”

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kwakimaki@reddit

Oh Great Dispenser of Drugs

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VMS_UK@reddit

Oh holy procurer

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jimicus@reddit

This is actually the correct way to address a pharmacist.

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ShineAtom@reddit

I suspect they were concerned you may think they were a medical doctor and wanted to clear up any misunderstanding before going further. If they hadn't said anything, a client (you in this instance) may later have said words to the effect: The doctor told me this, that and the other. They've probably had issues with clients regarding this before now so feel the need to be very clear as to their position.

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macxjs@reddit

Call them "Mr Pharmacist" repeatedly ...

https://youtu.be/Cl34oJEoO7s?si=6nKqHXguWLkGjFkB

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NoFewSatan@reddit

You could just say... "Hi".

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ImBonRurgundy@reddit

just say hello.

they will probably introduce themselves, then you refer to them as whatever they introduce themselves as

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Relative_Grape_5883@reddit

Interestingly a pharmacist has more legal liability in the dispensing of medication and any possible incorrect dosage or interactions than actual doctors do.

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

OP marked this as the best answer, given by /u/Profession-Unable.

They are doctors in that they have a doctoral degree but they are not medical doctors. I think they were just ensuring that they were clear about who the were.

If you really want to offend a medical practitioner, call a surgeon ‘doctor’.

^(What is this?)

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Jack1ngton@reddit

Whoever they are should introduce themselves at the onset of the call

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MaleFeministActuary@reddit

"Aha, so had to go for your UCAS back up in the end"

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Justplaythefkngnote@reddit

whoops i just wrote something relating to this too haha

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Baby-Catcher@reddit

The pharmacist is being needlessly butt hurt, but possibly this was the thing that tipped the iceberg.

Im a midwife, i get called nurse sooo often, even to my face with a clear badge on, its annoying but I'd never bother to correct someone unless it actually impacted on the conversation/care provision.

Personally answering the call "Hi Doctor" feels odd, I would just say Hello but that doesn't mean you deserve the response you got.

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Amazing_Winter_725@reddit

Professionally, they probably do need to make sure you know that they’re a pharmacist, not a doctor. But that was a poor way of going about it!

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atomic_mermaid@reddit

Just say hi. They can't do anything that would be seen to be leading you on to think they're a doctor when they're not.

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No_Room_3932@reddit

There was a better way of handling it but a pharmacist would get into a lot of trouble if it was thought they were letting patients think they were a doctor.

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aweaselonwheels@reddit

They are just protecting themselves as they can't diagnose issues and want to set boundaries to make sure you don't interpret anything they say as medical advice they can't give. They didn't interrupt you because they were offended or were being rude they needed to make sure that you didn't think they were a doctor as they are different skills and have different levels of advice they can give you.

Don't worry about it, they were just making sure that you knew who you were talking to, in a medical setting they might be dealing with people who struggle with that but especially on a video call they will be red hot on making sure everything is done by the book :)

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Greedy-Nature-826@reddit

They could likely get in a lot of trouble and lose their professional membership if they make out they are a doctor.

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crowort@reddit

This is pretty much what I was going to post. A pharmacist could get into a lot of trouble if someone thought they were presenting as a Doctor.

They made the right call to correct you but maybe could have worded it better.

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Calm-Scientist8126@reddit

I don't know if I'm correct but they might have been worried you thought they were more qualified then they were and felt like they had to correct you for transparency, not because they were offended

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Calm-Scientist8126@reddit

Because its a crime to let someone think you are a doctor if your not qualified

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TrifectaOfSquish@reddit

You just say hello, it's not offensive to call someone a doctor but if they aren't actually a doctor then they need to correct you on the fact as they don't want the potential repercussions of being professionally presented as something that they aren't.

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ThatWhiteThing@reddit

It's not offensive but you need to know who you are speaking to. If they don't correct this they could be accused of impersonating a doctor, or you may treat their advice in a different way.

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ProfPMJ-123@reddit

Sounds like you were put through to an arsehole, which is unfortunate.

I call everyone I meet their first name.

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liverpoolfuckingsuck@reddit

I always say ‘Oi oi sexy’. Never had a problem muself, actually they tend to serve me even quicker than normal after I say that

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Etheria_system@reddit

Just say “hi” or “hi” and then their name if you know it.

I see doctors all the time and I’ve never once said hi Doctor.

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LARRYVOND13@reddit

I'll be honest here, this one doesn't sound like a you problem my friend.

I'd have replied with a fair dose of snark.

I just keep it generic, like any shop really.

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