Prefix to Our Names

During one of Raya Celebration, I was introduced to a new friend, "Please meet Dr Hafiz, Nephrologist from UMMC." It feels awkward being introduced in a social gathering with the prefix DR.

Similar things; friends from your previous schools that you eat and play and share beds together, started to call you DR. Some of the distant family members address you as DOCTOR in social media.

Fast forward to Boston. Your boss obviously did not call you doctor, no surprise there. But your colleagues and other researchers, they also did not address you as doctor. Your boss even, everybody calls him by his first name. Recalling back to the time in Ireland, the intern or the SHO (similar to houseman and MO in Malaysia) certainly did not call you DR. Perhaps only the consultants were being called Dr, unless you were close enough with them.

Previously, I was quick to say that I prefer people not calling me doctor, certainly not by my own family, friends and co-workers. Despite being persistent (probably not enough), the nurses are still calling me Doctor. It makes me wonder, why is it so difficult to drop the prefix, especially in social situation?

Come to think about it, it may be down to a single factor - culture. In the western world, they do not practice having prefix like Uncle, Cikgu, Dato', Cik, Tuan. Some even call their parents or elders by their first name. In Malaysia however, I have to say even for myself, it is weird to call somebody by their name directly. You just have to add Abang, Sis or Bro, Pakcik etc. Nobody calls a person by his/her first name if the age gao is huge. It is a sign of respect. A teacher like my father, even after he has retired, he will still be called Cikgu. And it seems okay. I wonder if they did not use cikgu, what will they use? Abang? Pakcik? Encik? It sounds weirder.

Whatever it is, I call people by their prefix - Prof, Dr,etc, due to overwhelming respect that I have for them. I also call many people by their first name to feel that closeness that we share together. But what I certainly do not want is the feeling of arrogance that my status is better than others, just because I have the title.

The story that my father told me many years ago is still fresh in my mind. He met one of his ex-students working in a clinic. My dad recognized him and called him by his name. But the person ignores him, until he was called with the prefix doctor, and he insisted on it.

My name is Hafiz. I am a Nephrologist.