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[accidental_prof]

Sticking to the original question, I say yes.  However, being called doctor is, as others have stated upstream, a bit weird.  I mean really, we are teachers and seekers of knowledge, not healers. 

I enjoy two exceptions.  The first exception I enjoy is that my father-in-law is quite fond of sending old fashioned correspondence to Dr. & Mrs. A_P.  It's amusing, and makes the old codger happy.  No harm there.  I also think it's ridiculously cute when my child states hu wants to be a "teacher doctor" like dad.

I'd prefer my students call me by my first name.  However, university culture requires more formality, so I suggest professor.  The occasional suckups use Dr.  I'd also like to wear jeans and comfortable clothing to work, but that's another thread.

Using the title for advantage?  Sure.  When emailing Accidental_Offspring's school principal, I always use my University email which has the title in the signature line.  I have no way of knowing if it helps, but I figure (hope) it can't hurt.

My colleagues carry a range of degrees (Ph.D., DBA, Ed.D.)  All seem to be "real" degrees with "real" original research etc. leading to pubs and presentations.  None come from diploma mills.  I can't speak to the administrolls credentials.  Though one famously insists on using their honorary doctorate at all times.  Here among faculty, it's the DBA's that seem to insist on the doctor salutation.  Ph.D.'s and Ed.D.'s could care less.  One DBA will ignore any student question not preceded by Dr.  Now THAT's obnoxious.  At least to me.

As to the all important size question ... wasn't Rensis Likert's dissertation at Columbia only 80+/- pages?  I could be mis-remembering as 2am fades closer to 3am. 

Great thread!  I had forgotten how much fun discussions can be on these fora.

A_P

[theblondeassassin]

Sticking to the original question, I say yes.  However, being called doctor is, as others have stated upstream, a bit weird.  I mean really, we are teachers and seekers of knowledge, not healers. 

Doctor comes from the same root as docent, though, so no one is claiming to be a medic who is aware of its original meaning rather than claimed professional jurisdiction; conversely, not all MD's are doctors these days although they once were.

[onthefringe]

Exceptions include:
1. Medical doctors introducing themselves to patients who want, understandably, to let their patients know they're now seeing a real doctor, not a phlebotomy tech, reiki intern, or any of the other myriad folks one sees between entering a doctor's office and actually seeing a doctor;
2. People with doctoral degrees of any kind making airline or restaurant reservations and hoping for preferential treatment.

It seems to me that (2) is obnoxious as well, but possibly justified.

Agree on both points.

Obnoxious and probably UNjustified. I can't imagine someone at Delta or US Airways thinking, "This is a doctor. We better give them special treatment."

Well no, certainly not those low-rent, third-world airlines. But those classy joints like United and American know how to treat their betters.

I sure hope so; I make every flight reservation as Dr. Canuckois.  I'm still waitin' for that spontaneous upgrade, though.

One of my colleagues recently flew to a meeting. His administrative assistant made his reservations using the title "Dr.". Halfway through his flight he was approached by a flight attendant who wanted him to come look at another passenger who was having chest pains. He had to sheepishly admit to being a biochemist. Luckily, there was an MD on the plane too, and everything turned out ok.

[larryc]

One of my colleagues recently flew to a meeting. His administrative assistant made his reservations using the title "Dr.". Halfway through his flight he was approached by a flight attendant who wanted him to come look at another passenger who was having chest pains.

OK, I am never going to use the Dr. option on those pull down menus again!

[venerable_bede]

Exceptions include:
1. Medical doctors introducing themselves to patients who want, understandably, to let their patients know they're now seeing a real doctor, not a phlebotomy tech, reiki intern, or any of the other myriad folks one sees between entering a doctor's office and actually seeing a doctor;
2. People with doctoral degrees of any kind making airline or restaurant reservations and hoping for preferential treatment.

It seems to me that (2) is obnoxious as well, but possibly justified.

Agree on both points.

Obnoxious and probably UNjustified. I can't imagine someone at Delta or US Airways thinking, "This is a doctor. We better give them special treatment."

Well no, certainly not those low-rent, third-world airlines. But those classy joints like United and American know how to treat their betters.

I sure hope so; I make every flight reservation as Dr. Canuckois.  I'm still waitin' for that spontaneous upgrade, though.

One of my colleagues recently flew to a meeting. His administrative assistant made his reservations using the title "Dr.". Halfway through his flight he was approached by a flight attendant who wanted him to come look at another passenger who was having chest pains. He had to sheepishly admit to being a biochemist. Luckily, there was an MD on the plane too, and everything turned out ok.

This happened to an English Ph.D. friend of mine too—there was a well-known novelist on the flight who suddenly started feeling insignificant compared to all the people around him who were reading. The flight attendant summoned my friend, who had to observe the situation for only a moment before declaring the death of the author.

Ba dum-dum!