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


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...




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