[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Joanne Rowling's Doctorates

[Shaun Hately]

On 13 May 2003 at 9:32, Coble, Katherine wrote:

> Mycropht says:
> 
> Medical Doctors are MDs.  That stands for Doctor of Medicine.  They are
> entitled to the Honorific.

Not in the UK. A Medical Doctor in the UK may hold an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, 
Bachelor of Surgery) or a MBChB (Medicinae Baccalaureus, Chirurgiae Baccalaureus). 
These are dual Bachelors degrees. They are a special case, and entitled to use the 
courtesy title of 'Doctor' before their name (a courtesy title is very different from an 
Honourary degree) as a matter of tradition. The distinction comes from the way Medical 
education is handled. In the US, a Medical Doctor undertakes further education after 
their basic degree (which may be in an area specifically designed to lead to 
postgraduate study in Medicine) - in the UK, they can start formally training as a medical 
Doctor as an undergraduate. This doesn't preclude British medical doctors from holding 
academic Doctorates - but it's not a requirement.

The fact that MBBS and MBChBs are entitled to call themselves Doctors has nothing to 
do with their holding Honourary Degrees - most do *not* hold any such degree. It's a 
courtesy based on longstanding tradition. Incidentally, British surgeons - who have gone 
on to obtain more than their basic medical training - are traditionally called 'Mister' - so a 
'Doctor' becomes a 'Mister' when he becomes more qualified. Again, it's a matter of 
tradition. And the traditions don't always slip neatly into the hard and fast academic 
rules.



Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200

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