đŸ©ș The First Time Someone Called Me “Doctor”

General
1

I froze.

Not because I didn’t hear it — but because I didn’t think I was ready to be it.

Still a student. Still unsure. Still Googling drug doses five minutes before OPD.

But this patient looked at me with full faith.

Like I had all the answers.

Like I was the doctor.

And in that moment
 maybe I was.

We all have that first time — where the coat felt too big, the steth too real, and the responsibility too heavy.

But also kind of beautiful.

:speech_balloon: What was yours?

That moment where you suddenly realised:

“Oh. This is real now.”

Let’s share the stories that made us feel like we finally belonged. :sparkles:

19 Likes
2

Called as a doctor is been dream of every medical student , there will be a time when every feels and have confidence him/herself that yes I can be a good doctor
 so enjoy the moment

2 Likes
3

Frankly can’t remember that beautiful moment when somebody called me a doctor the first time .. but still remember all those times somebody called me a ‘nurse’ since I was a lady doctor.

7 Likes
4

It s moment every medical students dream come true they struggled hard to reach this position now its a reality and product moment for them when a patient calls doctor

3 Likes
5

Female doctors being taken as nurses is a global phenomenon- I can tell you that. :blush:

4 Likes
6

Being addressed as a doctor brings (or, should bring) humility as we add years of practice to our profile. :folded_hands::folded_hands:

2 Likes
7

:grinning_face: I guess

1 Like
8

I remember my first feeling of realizing that ‘this is real’ was when, soon after my internship, my dad put my nameplate in his clinic.

As it was COVID times, it was an online consultation. That was my first patient ever. I was very nervous, and I told my dad I didn’t know what to do.

But I gathered the courage, attended to the patient, took the whole history that I had learnt in med school, and counselled the patient.

Although my dad helped me later on with what to prescribe, the experience as a whole was something I’ll never forget.

1 Like
9

I do not remember the exact moment, but hearing someone call me ‘Doctor’ has always felt overwhelming! I still remember how even elders would stand with respect upon seeing us, it was both humbling and heartwarming. It truly takes time to process that we have actually become doctors like you said. I also remember eagerly waiting to get our nameplates with the ‘Doctor’ tag for our internship, just so we could finally pin it to our coats.

1 Like
11

A dream come true moment , the hardship , the sacrifices getring recognized.

1 Like
12

I don’t exactly remember the first time somebody called me Doctor, but I remember when I passed my final exams and I could ethically write Dr before my name. That felt unreal

1 Like
13

Omg this is so true! Even I remember the exact moments that I’ve been called as a nurse rather than a doctor :frowning:

14

Even I got called sister or nurse when walking down halls in the hospital

Female doctors are never seen as doctors until u are seen in that chair meant for assumed to be male doctors!

But when I used to sit down in an OPD that time every patient knew I was a doctor

And not everyone gives you the respect but yeah some patients do

And truly grateful to those patients, who made me realise I’ve become the one I always wanted to be!

15

Even I honestly can’t remember the exact moment when a patient called me as a doctor during the college days or even internships. But now after coming into the real professional world, whenever a patient calls as a doctor, there’s a sense of added responsibility to us which is very humbling.

1 Like
16

That’s very brave of you!

17

The dreams when become real, it does feel scary!

18

That too when you graduate and a senior doctor call you “Doctor” gives you a special feel.

1 Like
19

Haven’t experienced it yet. But really looking forward to that day as it comes with the huge sense of responsibilities.

1 Like
20

This post really touched a chord within me.

The very first time someone called my name with a prefix of “Dr.” was on 24th January 2022.

It was a calm winter afternoon of January 24th, 2022, when I first heard it - “Doctor”; not just from one person, but from many, together and all at once and then individual greetings by everyone with this prefix along with my name. For me, the word carried weight of something deeper like a silent gratitude, relief, and awe. After 8 long years of research (Ph.D.), revisions, tons of experiments, and various rejections within the tenure, it finally became real.

Becoming a “Dr.” was not just a title I ever chased for; this journey was all about my scientific hunger and curiosity that never let me sleep, lab lights that stayed on long after everyone left, research papers that felt like puzzles while getting written, and sometimes, there were questions with no clear answers. I spent years reading the global research, learning to question even what I once believed, writing reports, research updates and articles until the cursor blinked into silence, and then rewriting again. There were moments of doubt, long nights with nothing but my data, and mornings spent refreshing my inbox for reviewer comments (that had come through my research guide). The journey was an adventurous one which has always pushed me beyond my boundaries and comfort levels. Publishing articles that are listed in the prestigious global research database was all about sharing a small contribution of mine to the vast world of knowledge; so that one day when I grow old, I can look at them and cherish the strength I have within and also can tell some good stories to my loved ones around.

That day, when they called me “Doctor” they were all just acknowledging a person with a title; but I could only see the number of years gone by with voluminous learning, the calm perseverance, the invisible battles, and my love for gigantic learning with that never giving-up attitude. This journey has definitely overwhelmed me so much; but the moment you are called “Dr.” for the first time, it all comes together always. For me, it was not reaching a finishing line after a race, it was a light-filled beginning that was earned deeply and honestly.

2 Likes
21

Every time someone calls me “Doctor,” it fills me with a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude. It’s overwhelming to know that people trust me. That trust fuels my determination to work harder learn more and truly live up to the title every single day.

1 Like