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Someone in my profession is referring to themselves as Dr. so and so (ABD). It is my understanding that they are not a Dr. since they have not completed the dissertation process. Doesn't it seem fraudulent to refer to yourself as Dr. without completing a doctoral program?

ff524
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GIJo
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    Yeah, it's obviously misleading, since "the thesis" is not a trifling matter. But there are (in the U.S., as far as I know) no clear "legal" rules about such references (in contrast to precise laws in Germany, apparently). – paul garrett Aug 24 '15 at 21:27
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    Just an FYI (ABD) means All But Dissertation. – The Hiary Aug 24 '15 at 21:59
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    Looks like a dupe of four other questions today... – keshlam Aug 24 '15 at 22:28
  • By the way: it may not be fraud in a legal sense, even if the person has not completed a doctoral program. Not all jurisdictions have laws controlling use of the title "Dr." – David Z Aug 24 '15 at 23:56
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    Have some fun with this. You can call him Dr ABD forevermore. – aparente001 Aug 25 '15 at 02:08
  • Take it up with Dr. Dre – Fraïssé Aug 25 '15 at 06:01
  • ^ Haha and Dr. Pepper! I did look this up and people were discussing ABD but I wanted to be sure that they are inappropriately referring to themselves as "Dr.". It is being used as their outlook signature. I actually thought they were a PhD and was just trying to figure out of what until I came across this informative web site and found out that they are not a PhD. – GIJo Aug 25 '15 at 12:16
  • It absolutely depends on the jurisdiction. In the UK almost all the medical physicians one ever sees DO NOT have any kind of doctorate (they usually have two Bachelor's degrees: in medicine and surgery), yet they are always called by the title Dr. Surgeons might well have doctorates but are addressed as Mr. Dentists used to be called Mr, like surgeons, but I notice nowadays that many prefer to be called Dr. There is no law governing the use of the title Dr in the UK. – JeremyC Aug 09 '19 at 22:04

1 Answers1

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Yep, can't do that. Either you do or you don't have the "Dr." and if you're ABD, you don't.

Wolfgang Bangerth
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