Expert: Amanda Gamble - 7/25/2003

Question
I appreciated your response to my question two months ago regarding Gravestone Protocol. Now I have another question that is, perhaps, not quite as unusual.
We have family members that are MD's and others with a doctorate in psychology, education, etc. It has been my practise to refer to the MD's as "Dr." in conversation and in writing, but to use the term for all the others only in their academic context. I recently mailed invitations for a social occasion and upset a family member, who holds a doctorate in education, because in mentioning him I did not refer to him as "Dr."
Do you have any information describing the proper protocol regarding the use of this title? Thank you again for any guidance that you may be able to provide.  

Answer
Dear Mr. Simmons,
 I was always taught that only a medical doctor may
use the honorific "Dr.".  Most of the members of my
immediate family hold doctorates in jurisprudence. Now,
how ridiculous would that be--to refer to your attorney
as "Dr."?  
However, I too,have been on the receiving end of a hissy
fit over this same perceived slight.  My secret trick for getting around it without compromising what I know to be correct is to do this:
           William H. Marsh,Ph.D.

and of course any other name that must go one the envelope on a second line. I can not advise you what is best when
addressing them. How many professors did you have to call
"Dr. So and So" in college? If your experience was like mine,many! For some reason which can not be explained,I
took Latin at school. The professor of that class was the
ONLY one to ever point out that it was wrong to call someone
with a doctorate in education "Dr." Made me love him all
the more. Along with his *narcolepsy and frequent tirades
against the school administration for refusing to approve
a Frank Lloyd Wright designed fraternity house to be built.
                                  Best regards,
                                     Amanda Gamble

* automatic class dismissal!