What are your thoughts about putting credentials next to your name on Linkedin?

[eLearner]

However, if Doctors of other disciplines besides MDs are working independently, then it's perfectly fine for them to call themselves Doctor without explanation.

For a Doctor of Dental Surgery clearly practicing as a dentist: Yes. Uncontroversial, long history.

The Doctor of Pharmacy has been the standard entry-level degree for pharmacists in the US for a generation. For a licensed pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy working at a pharmacy: Are we sure? For a licensed pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy in a hospital medical unit to consult: Are we sure?

Inside a Pharmacy? Sure. In a hospital unit? Likely. In one of my local hospitals, the Pharmacist runs their space and only ever has contact with Medical Doctors by phone or email. There is never a situation where they interact with patients in scenarios where a Medical Doctor would be present. I think the main concern revolves around the opportunity to confuse. In the absence of that opportunity, it's fine to use the title.

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I agree with the majority that the addition of the degree abbreviations is a bit tacky.  However, I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone who has an MD put it right next to their name because (a) they deserve all the applause for their profession and (b) as a prospective patient, I want to know if you're a "real" doctor or not.  For example, in the health care field, it is important to distinguish between MDs and PhDs.  There's nothing wrong with a PhD, but don't let it fool others into thinking you can write prescriptions.

Personally, I don't subscribe to the idea of "real Doctor" because it implies that anyone who isn't a Medical Doctor is a fraud and that just isn't true. That to me is a misconception of the masses that needs to go away. Medical Doctors don't and never have held the market on who can use that title, it didn't originate with them, and there was a time when Medical Doctors were not even respected. It took a long time for the profession to reach the respect level that it has.

About PhD's using the title of Doctor: If the PhD is in Psychology and the person has achieved the title of licensed Psychologist, that person has earned the right especially considering what one has to do to become one. It should also be noted that Psychologists who hold a Master's in Psychopharmacology can write prescriptions in 6 U.S. states and the military, and there is a push to increase that number.