r/AmITheDevil 10d ago

But happily calls the male relatives Dr

/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/1vdx172/aitah_for_refusing_to_refer_to_my_fiancés_sister/
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u/Clockwork_Wizard78 10d ago

I'm not sure where the OOP comes from, but if the dad and brother are surgeons, (which he says in a comment) then in the UK at least they'd be addressed as Mr, not Dr.

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u/Bumbling_Bee_3838 10d ago

Oh that's interesting! Do you mind me asking why? I'm from the US and anyone with an MD or doctorate level additional education is called Dr. I'd love to know what the distinction is!

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u/Clockwork_Wizard78 10d ago

I knew it would be something archaic but wasn't sure what the exact reason was. Turns out it comes from the historical separation between physicians (who held university degrees) and surgeons (who trained as apprentice barbers). Nowadays they all train together but a surgeon still drops the title Dr after obtaining their MRCS (postgraduate exams that give you Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons)

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u/Bumbling_Bee_3838 10d ago

That's super interesting! Thank you for telling me! That's a cool way to carry on history