In medicine why are some consultants called dr.. and some called mr...?

Question

In medicine why are some consultants called dr.. and some called mr...?

Answer 1

'Dr' is an accademic title, you need to have a medical PhD to be a 'Dr' in medicine, it normally takes 7 years. Once you are a 'Dr', if you rise up the ranks you may then be known in the profession as a 'Mr', this normally means that you are a surgeon or senior consultant. Its an irony that you spend 7 years getting from 'Mr' to 'Dr', and then spend your entire career trying to get back to 'Mr'! But it only applies to specialists, not GPs etc.

Answer 2

The difference between consultants being called Mr and Dr is that originally surgeons were historically associated with barbers. This being the people who had access to and skill with sharp blades and the shaprpening of them. Where as Physicians were associated with apothecaries and medicines. The Royal College of Surgeons used to be known as the Royal College of Barber Surgeons (hence the red and white pole outside barber shops) but divided after surgery became more specialised and wanted to distance themselves from their barber colleagues. This is why when you have an operation your surgeon is a Mr and your Anaesthetist is a Dr.

Answer 3

In UK and Ireland in the 15th -16 th century surgery (The actual operation ) was performed by barbers and they were called as THE BARBER SURGEONS. It was a practice being handed over from generation to. generation . The barbers were not medically trained and qualified surgeons.

As time passes new kings and parliaments legalise the practice of surgery to the medical profession and surgeons kept the original appellation" Mr" as the barber surgeon was called.
So today All surgeons (Specialist in surgery) are known as Mr and that ,once they qualify as a Fellow from The Royal College Of Surgeons.

On the other hand all other specialists in Medicine have always been called Dr. and the appellation has been kept.

P.S. One wonders why then Obstetrician & Gynaecologists are not called Midwives !

Answer 4

In Great Britain -- for example -- it is usual and customary for a physician who practices medicine to be referred to as "Doctor" while a surgeon is called "Mister" in professional circles.

Royal College of Surgeons of England is the professional society supervising surgical training, certification and service quality throughout England, and has had substantial influence on surgical practice throughout the world. The current Royal Charter dates back only 200 years, but the surgical profession in Britain has long and tenuous roots

Records from the 14th century indicate that minor surgical procedures such as lancing abscesses and extracting teeth were undertaken by the village barbers. From this developed a loose organization of “barber-surgeons.”

Surgeons eventually became independent, but had at the same time to deal with competition from the self-proclaimed “real physicians.” These were the bewigged courtiers who attended the Royals and other great families, drawing blood and prescribing poisons. They would not allow surgeons to be called “Doctor.”

Indeed this tradition persists, so that surgeons in Britain are still called “Mr.”

Answer 5

Surgeons were, in Europe, originally trained and qualified as CRAFTSMEN, rather than being granted Medical Degrees. The route to qualification is now to first qualify as and MD and then to take further training as a Surgeon. Therefore Dr Smith would graduate to becoming Mr Smith, Surgeon.

Answer 6

As someone has already mentioned, surgeons are 'Mr', and it is to do with surgeons having a history as unqualified barbers. There is more information on the attached wiki link, but be warned that someone has vandalised the wiki page with some bad language. Look for the subheading "Doctor or Mister"

Answer 7

Surgeons are Mr and general physicians are usually Dr.

Answer 8

Members of the FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons)are called Mr.

Answer 9

Doctor (Dr) are ' Pill Poppers'
Physicians, Cardiologists, gastro-enterologists, haematologists etc. rheumatologists

Misters (Mr) are liable to take a knife to you.
Surgeons, Orthpaedic, Colo-rectal, ENT, opthalmologists etc.,

Answer 10

Anyone with a medical qualification in the USA are known as Dr.!!

Im not too sure about the reasoning behind it tho