how to put phd in name

How to Correctly Use the Titles Dr. & PhD With a Name

How to Reference a Person With a PhD

When someone has earned a Doctor of Philosophy, or Ph.D., degree, that person is subsequently referred to as “doctor” in formal speech. The same is true of a person who is a medical doctor, psychologist, dentist or veterinarian. In formal speech, that person should be referred to as “doctor.” However, the rules are different in written form when addressing someone who is called “doctor” in formal speech. In written form, the titles “Dr.” and “Ph.D.” are not interchangeable.

Determine the Type of Doctor

First, you should identify what type of doctor you are addressing. Doctors of medicine and psychology, doctors of dentistry and doctors of veterinary medicine must be addressed differently in comparison to academic doctors who have earned a Doctor of Philosophy doctoral degree. Be advised that there are different types of doctoral degrees. A Doctor of Philosophy degree is just one kind of doctoral degree. There’s also, for example, a Doctor of Education doctoral degree and a Doctor of Psychology doctoral degree. The titles associated with the various doctoral degrees are not interchangeable. Only a person who has earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree should be addressed as Ph.D.

Addressing a Doctor in Writing

Place the title of “Dr.” before the name of a person who is a doctor of medicine or psychology, doctor of dentistry, or doctor of veterinary medicine. For example Dr. George Ross. Always write the word “doctor” in its abbreviated form when it goes before the person’s name. Never write, for example, Doctor George Ross. Do not combine the title of “Dr.” with any other title even if the person could appropriately be addressed by a different title. Never write, for example, “Dr. George Ross, Ph.D.,” even if the person is a medical doctor who has also earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Pick one title. Do not use the “Dr.” title when referring to someone who is solely an academic doctor.

Put a comma followed by the title “Ph.D.” after the name of a person who has earned a Doctor of Philosophy doctoral degree. For example Stacey Childs, Ph.D. Do not combine the title of “Ph.D.” with any other title even if the person could appropriately be addressed by a different title. For instance, even if the person being addressed is a doctor of medicine who has also earned a Ph.D., never write, for example, Dr. Stacey Childs, Ph.D. Pick one title. Do not use the “Ph.D.” title when referring to someone who not earned a Doctor of Philosophy doctoral degree.

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Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.

How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

—- For more on the the use of Port-Nominal Abbreviations , see that page . —- For more on use of an Honorary Doctorate , see that page . How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

Here are the forms to use when addressing a person addressed as Dr. See the discussion below “How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name 1-2-3-4-5” for more information on who typically does use Dr. as part of their name and who does not.

—- Envelope or address block on letter or email to their office/place of work: ——– (Full Name), (Post-nominal abbreviation for doctorate held). ——– ( Name of office/place of work if  appropriate) ——– (Address)

—- Social/Personal envelope: ——– Dr. (Full Name) ——– (Address)

—- Salutation – for both official & social: ——– Dear Dr. (Surname):  How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name: 1-2-3-4-5

—- #1) Holders of doctorates who work in academia or research institutions are addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’ professionally and socially in a salutation or conversation. Thus, a Ph.D. professor at a college, a Ph.D. in biology doing scientific research, and a Ph.D. principal at an elementary school all use Dr. (Name) and everybody thinks it is normal.

—- NOTE: At some universities it is traditional to address faculty holding of academic doctorates as ‘Mr. (Name)’ or ‘Professor (Name)’ and not to address as ‘Dr. (Name)’. For those outside the academic community it is acceptable to follow the insider’s rule or to address holders of doctorates as ‘Dr. (Name)’ in writing or oral address.

—- #2) Protestant clergy with doctorates are addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’ in a salutation or conversation. I specify ‘Protestant’ here because not all clergy is. For example, neither priests – addressed in a salutation or conversation as Father [Name] – nor rabbis – addressed as Rabbi [Name] –  holding doctorates are ever addressed as Dr. [Name] . In a salutation or conversation they stick with Father[Name] and Rabbi [Name].

—- #3) Holders of doctorates who work outside academia or research don’t always prefer to be addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’. in a salutation or conversation. —- —- A) In the USA ‘Dr.’ may be used depending on the work environment and/or when the degree isn’t pertinent to the conversation. E.g., a Ph.D. in finance working at a bank or a Ph.D. in American history working in software development are not likely to insist on being addressed as ‘ Dr. (Name)’ . But always ask for their preference. Use of, or omitting, the honorific can be a sensitive issue to some individuals! —- —- B) And, outside the U.S.A. everyone holding a doctorate will want to be addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’ in every instance.

—- #4) In hospitals and healthcare environments historically there was a practice that only physicians (medical doctors, osteopaths, dentists, podiatrists, veterinarians, etc. ) are addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’. This was explained to be out of consideration for the patients who want to know who ‘the doctors’ are and who are nurses and allied healthcare professionals.

—- That made for some unhappy professionals who earned doctorates in hospital administration, pharmacy, physical therapy and nursing, etc. – who felt they too were properly addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’ . It’s my understanding that today all the holders of doctorates are addressed as Dr. (Name) and hospitals (etc.) have figured out other ways to define which doctor is a physician, which is a physical therapist and which is a nurse anesthetist.

—- #5) All that said, ultimately how one is addressed by others is up to the individual and usually everyone goes along. For example, if you and I meet a woman who identifies herself as ‘Monsignor Alice’ … I think it is unlikely she’s a Roman Catholic Monsignor. And, it’s unusual she has only one name, like Pink, Rhianna, Sting, Cher, or Madonna. But we should directly address her in conversation as ‘Monsignor Alice,’ it’s nice to meet you …’ because that’s what she says her name is. How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

—- But, when she’s out of range, we will all be talking about her.

—- —- – Robert Hickey

Related Healthcare Links -V — — Chiropractor / Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine -V — — Dentist / Doctor of Dentistry -V — — Medical Doctor / Doctor of Medicine -V — — Military Physician / Armed Services -V — — Optometrist / Doctor of Optometry -V — — Osteopath / Doctor of Osteopathy -V — — Podiatrist / Doctor of Podiatry -V — — Veterinarian / Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

More Related Healthcare Links: -V — — Person holding a doctorate -V — — Pharmacist / Doctor of Pharmacy -V — — Psychologist -V — — Therapist

Related Links: —- —- —- Principal —- —- —- Headmaster —- —- —- President College University —- —- —- President of a School —- —- —- Chancellor —- —- —- Professor

When To Use Dr. (Name) and When To Use (Name), Ph.D.?

My daughter is receiving her Ph.D. and will be teaching. I would like to give her a name plate for her desk. Should it be ‘Dr. (Full Name)’ or ‘(Full Name), Ph.D. ‘? ——————- – AP

Dear AP,   How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

‘(Full Name), Ph.D.’ is the official form of her name. You will use it on the envelope, or in the address block of a letter, when you write to her with regard to her professional pursuits. This is the form the university will use when she is listed among the faculty. It is used by the degree holder, when specifying the exact degree is pertinent – like on business cards or in a list of academics.

‘Dr. (Full Name)’ is the social form of her name. You will use it when you write her name on a personal letter’s envelope, e.g., one sent to her home. This is the form everyone will use on the envelope when they send her a birthday or holiday card. It is rarely used by the degree holder since one does not correctly give oneself an honorific. The degree holder – in their signature or when introducing him or herself – just uses their name … no ‘Dr.’ It’s up to the other person to add the ‘Dr.’ E.g., I just introduce myself as ‘Robert Hickey’ – never ‘Mr. Robert Hickey.’

Sometimes you will observe a physician in a healthcare setting introducing him or herself as ‘Dr. (Name)’ – but there it is for the patient’s benefit to know they are the physician in a field of people wearing seemingly identical white coats!

‘Dr. (Surname)’ is the conversational form of her name. Use it both officially and socially in a letter’s salutation as well as in oral conversation.

So, for an office name plate use the official form of her name – (Full Name), Ph.D.

– Robert Hickey

Doctors present the official form of their name to the public:  (Full Name) (Pertinent post-nominals for the service offered).   The social form of their name does not include their degree: Dr. (Full Name).   In both official and social salutations and conversations patients use Dr. (Name).

If My Doctorate is in Music, am I ‘Dr.’?

I hold a DMA, Doctorate in Music, from a Boston university and am a Church Music Director. Please could you advise me as to whether it is acceptable for the church where I work to list me in the service bulletins as: ‘Dr. (First name) + (Last name) ‘? —————- – CJ

Dear CJ: How to Use a Doctorate with your Name It is correct to list yourself in the bulletin using the professional form of your name … (First name) + (Last name), DMA.    It specifies your academic credential in your professional domain.

Among protestant denominations many address their clergy with a doctorate orally and in a salutation as  Dr. (Surname).   If your church is one of those, and it is your preference is to be Dr. (Surnhttps://formsofaddress.info/wp-admin/post.php?post=13983&action=edit#ame), tell everyone that it is your preference to be addressed Dr. (Surname).

Usually academics and researchers who go by Dr. (Surname) professionally – use Dr. (Surname)  socially. But ultimately whether a particular Ph.D. holder is ‘Dr. (Name)’ socially … especially outside of healthcare, academia or research … is at the preference of the bearer. Some insist, some don’t care, others say they answer to anything they are called. Ultimately your name belongs to you and if you want to be Dr. (Surname), then it’s your right to request everyone address you that way.

– Robert Hickey   How to Use a Doctorate with your Name

May I Call Myself Dr. (Name)  if my Degree Is Not Related to the Service I Offer?

I have a Ph.D. and license in counseling. Recently I sent out an announcement for a yoga class I will be teaching. The state of Colorado says I should not teach yoga as   “Dr. (Name)”. How can I convince them I can? ——– – Kevin S., Ph.D., L.P.C., C.M.T., I.K.Y.T.A. ,  Counseling, Yoga Therapy, Integrative Health & Healing

Dear Dr. Kevin, How to Use a Doctorate with your Name

Your Ph.D. is in a field not related to the service you are offering.

A couple of typical practices I observe in the USA come to mind:

Professionals use with their name the degrees pertinent to their profession service. The degrees and certifications are provided for the benefit of the public so the public can quickly evaluate your credentials.

Here’s what I mean by pertinent . A pastor who would be the Reverend (Full Name)  & Pastor (Name) at church on Sundays, would not use the Reverend (Full Name) & Pastor (Name)  when teaching English Monday through Friday, at the local high school. That he or she is the Reverend  might be mentioned in a complete biography or introduction. It just isn’t part of his/her name at school.

So, I can see if you are using ‘Dr. (Name)’ when offering a class in yoga, and your doctorate is not directly to the service you are offering, say a doctorate physical therapy or kinesthetics …. it would be confusing to me … and the state officials must think it is misleading to the public.

– Robert Hickey How to Use a Doctorate with Your Name

Should I Use Dr. or Ph.D. on an Invitation?

If a person holds a Ph.D., should his or her name be ‘Dr. (name)’ a wedding invitation? Or ‘( Name), Ph.D.’ ?  Is this true for the father of the bride?  The groom?  Is the rule for names on wedding invitations and wedding envelopes different that the guidelines for social correspondence? ————– – Beverly Russell, Winchester, Virginia

Dear Ms. Russell: Wedding invitations and their envelopes are social correspondence. Post-nominal abbreviations ( Ph.D. is a post nominal abbreviation) aren’t used on social correspondence:

—- —- DON’T use Ph.D.

—- —- DO use Dr. (Name)

Another question that typically comes up is whether to use Doctor or Dr. (spelled out or abbreviated) on the invitation or on the mailing envelope?

The rule is to spell out everything and not to use abbreviations unless space is an issue.

But, Mr., Mrs., Dr., and Ms. (for which there is no spelled-out version) are typically used on invitations and when addressing invitations in even the most formal circles. I think ‘Doctor (Name)’ looks oh-so-highly precious, but I know some wedding planners who would wrestle me to the mat on that one.

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them. ___ What I don’t cover on this site are  many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions , etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—- #1)    At right  on desktops , at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones , is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—- #2)   If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail . I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so  (unless I am traveling.)   Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—- #3)   If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

Recommended Resources:    The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW)  and  Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)     For more information see the Protocol Resources page.

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How to Use Dr and PhD with a Name

In English, as in many other languages, professional titles have abbreviations. These are for writing convenience but people will sometimes annunciate them while speaking. Two of these, Dr and PhD, are very common references when talking about the specific name of a doctor.

Therefore, it means you’re referring to people and in this case, it’s a college-trained and licensed individual who practices things like medicine, psychology, science, mathematics or some other field of study. But, like with most other things in English grammar, there is a particular use of Dr and PhD.

To use “Dr” to indicate a doctor, most particularly in the fields of medicine and science, you will put it before a person’s name. You can indicate first and last name. But, if you want to be casual or informal, you can use Dr before only mentioning a first name.

Use only a last name after the “Dr to be formal or informal depending on the circumstances. This will often accompany a period (.) after the abbreviation of Dr.

Dr. Michael Yeadon

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny

Dr. Carrie is my physician.

Dr. Maloney has been a scientist for 35 years.

There are some people who receive doctorate degrees, the highest education one can receive in any given subject. While they are doctors, they aren’t medical, scientific or psychological doctors. For instance, they could have a doctorate in things like politics, journalism, economics or some other such thing.

Therefore, you say or write their name and follow it with PhD. to indicate Doctor of Philosophy. But, you can also use it to be superbly formal with a medical or scientific doctor. This means you can use both Dr and PhD in the same line. But, here, you will add a comma (,) after the last name.

Sarah Kimmons PhD

Dr. Shane Ammora, PhD

Mnemonic Device

To remember where to use Dr versus PhD, is that Dr will always come before a name and PhD will appear after. However, both can appear around the same name. Therefore, the following example is a visual for those who memorize best that way:

Dr. DOCTOR, PhD

Whenever you want to write or mention the name of someone who’s a doctor, you’ll either use Dr or PhD to indicate their title. But, Dr comes before and PhD will be after.

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How to Address a PhD in Email

Last Updated: August 17, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 50,562 times.

Writing an email to a college professor with a Ph.D.? Do you call someone with a Ph.D. a doctor? Figuring out the right way to address someone with a doctorate is a lot easier than it may seem, and we’re going to break this down so that you can get it right. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to address someone with a Ph.D.

Do you address someone with a Ph.D. as a doctor?

How to Address an Email to Multiple Professors

• “Dear Professor Jones, Professor Smith, and Professor Ali.”
• “Dr. Jones, Dr. Smith, and Professor Ali,”
• “Dr. Jones and Professor Smith,”

What is the proper way to write a name with Ph.D.?

• You may have seen Ph.D. holders put “Ph.D.” at the end of their name. This is something authors do, but you shouldn’t need to write it this way.

Do you call a professor a doctor?

• You’re very unlikely to get into any trouble by referring to your college teacher as “professor,” even if they are a doctor. At worst, they’ll kindly correct you.
• In the United States, it is generally seen by most educators as socially acceptable to address a doctor who is also a professor as “professor.” It’s not technically correct, but you’re unlikely to offend any of your educators. As such, you can usually call a doctor a professor or Dr. in email. [3] X Research source

How do you address Ph.D. students?

• A Ph.D. student is not a doctor yet, but they may still be a professor.
• “Professor” traditionally refers to tenure-track educators at the collegiate level, but there’s no harm or risk of offense by calling an adjunct instructor, lecturer, or TA, “professor.” [5] X Research source
• “Miss” has historically been used to address unmarried women, while “Mrs.” has referred to married women. These titles are going out of style since many people find them offensive, so you’re best off skipping these. [6] X Research source

Do the rules for addressing Ph.D. holders ever change?

• For example, in Canada, you are not “officially” allowed to refer to non-medical doctors as “Dr.” You would address them as “Mr. Jones, Doctor of Mathematics.”
• This also applies to the “Jimmy Jones, Ph.D.” form, too. In the United Kingdom, for example, you don’t use any periods. Someone in the UK would write, “Jimmy Jones, PhD” without the punctuation.

Expert Q&A

• It doesn’t matter if someone has a Ph.D. is in philosophy, education, biology, math, or any other discipline. If a person has obtained a doctorate degree, they’re a doctor—even if they don’t see patients. [8] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Ph.D. is shorthand for doctor of philosophy. The word “doctor” comes from the Latin word “docere,” which means “to teach.” In ancient times, “Philosophy” was used to refer to any academic field. [9] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• The only exception, at least in the United States, are people with a law degree (they are technically “Juris Doctors”, or J.Ds). You do not use a special title or honorific to address someone with a law degree. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/what-should-i-call-my-professor/
• ↑ https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/students/email.php
• ↑ https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/sending-email-to-faculty-and-administrators
• ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-40530920
• ↑ https://healthenews.mcgill.ca/use-of-dr-doctor-in-quebec-and-updating-your-honorific-in-mcgills-systems/
• ↑ https://www.cmaj.ca/content/re-who-entitled-be-called-doctor
• ↑ https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/roark-textbook/Chapter-1.htm
• ↑ https://moviecultists.com/do-you-call-someone-with-a-jd-doctor

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From admission to dissertation. Tips on making the PhD journey happy, productive and successful

How To Write PhD? Is it ph d or phd

How do you write phd correctly after a name is it ph d or phd, here are the steps to write phd correctly:.

• Firstly, “P” must be in a capital case.
• Secondly, “h” is in small case with no space after “P”
• Thirdly, use period/full-stop after “h”
• Fourthly, Write “D” in capital case.
• Fifthly, keep Period after “D”
• Finally, the correct way to write is Ph.D .
• Or, It can be also written as PhD in a sentence.
• As per APA style, write Ph. D
• As per Chicago style, write PhD
• As per MLA style, write it as Ph. D.

For example this is how to write PhD title after your name: Dr.John Mathew, Ph.D. You can write PhD after name on your business cards, resumes, CV’s or identity cards or on nameplates etc. Some have confusion with the use of comma and full stops while writing PhD title after name. Here is my indepth review how to write out properly PhD.

Writing a PhD title after name

Use capital “p” and “d” in the word ph.d..

You must write ‘P’ as capital and ‘D’ as capital letters. Though there is no strict rule on how to use capital and small letters, many of them do this way. Both letters which I have just mentioned must be written in Capital because those letters are the heart of the abbreviationPh.D. There is no other way of writing. Even if you search the whole world and ask many people and read many books, this is how PhD title is written.  Sometimes there are possibilities that both letters are written in small letters by mistake. You need to correct instantly if such is the case. Otherwise, it looks awkward when someone looks at it or reads it.  Usually, mistaken words are clearly observed than that of rightly written ones.

Use small letter ‘h’ in the word Ph.D.

The letter ‘h’ is what written small letter in this 3 letter word is.  We write it in a small letter after name because this letter ‘h’ is in the middle of the word Ph.D.  Here also don’t write mistake by using capital letters. This is the reason why many people write a PhD title after the name wrongly. They are confused about where to use capital letters and were not to use small letters. I suggest you practice all the letters in one or other way.

Why do we write a PhD title after the name?

We write a PhD title after the name to know that one has completed his doctoral studies and it is a sign of knowledge and status.  We write a Ph.D. even for other purposes. For example, if someone is working in a university, it is mandatory that his qualification must be known to all the students and as well as the staff. This is why we write the Ph.D. title after the name. Not only in the university but also to the competent authorities who come for an inspection to the university must know the status of the faculty profiles.  So the title Ph.D. is written after every faculty name as a title.

Should we use bold letters

I say a big no. You cannot write bold and fashioned way while writing PhD title after your name. As you write you must make it look similar along with the name without any difference. There is no way that you must write the Ph.D. title in bold fonts. This way, it looks very odd for those who look. Instead of reading your name, they will read Ph.D. firstly. So there is a chance of not remembering your name. So never use bold fonts while writing PhD title after your name.

Should we use Italic Letters

Again it is a big no. Do be too creative while writing a Ph.D. after your name. The use of italics is a big mistake. Do not use such writing in italics. Every time you use italic, again it looks very different from the original name adjacent to it.

Is Ph.D. a title after your name?

Do you think it is a PhD title or just a status?  It is both status and title.  Though in my personal opinion it is not a title, many call it as a title. But if you ask me I would tell it is a status word that is symbolically represented a matter of qualification. This is only my personal opinion about the title of Ph.D. So if at all you have some doubts about how this title arose as a part of history, you must read a vast number of history books about the Ph.D. title. It all requires for you to understand that a Ph.D. is not a title finally and just a resemblance of qualification.

Is it good to put PhD after title in your identity cards?

No, you must not use the title Ph.D. after your name in any type of identity card. These cards are existing irrespective of your qualification. This is meant to identify you as you are. There is no necessity what you have achieved. There is no need for knowing your qualifications. So in any type of identity card which is issued by the government like passport and voter card etc, you cannot use such title after your name. But there is one exception that the identity card at university or college or at job area must be given with Ph.D. title. If you ever need expert help with writing your Doctoral level papers, go to WriteMyPaperHub and send your request to  write my PhD thesis for me .

Should we use the subject name when using a Ph.D. with the name?

This thought is quite awkward. But I must still mention this. There are some who use the subject name after the Ph.D. title along with the name. Like for example Dr. Luke, Ph.D. in Linguistics. Using this way is quite reasonable if there are some important debates or international meetups. Otherwise, I don’t suggest such type of writing after your name.

What happens if you don’t use a Ph.D. after your name?

If you do not use the Ph.D. title after your name, people around you won’t know that you are a doctoral research fellow. So it is very important to let them know it. You can only use this if at all there are some students around you or any known people. If there are unknown people around you, then there is no way that it is mandatory to use a Ph.D. after your name. Anyhow, I say that there is no danger of not using Ph.D. after your name.

Should comma be addded before or after PhD

Yes, a comma is a mandatory thing to be added after Ph.D. This is a rule. Otherwise, it is mixed combined with your original name. It will become part of your name. So comma is good after your name. I have already given the example above on how to put a comma after your name. But let me give here one more example as a matter of understanding.  Dr.Mohima, Ph.D. If you see the name, for example, there is a comma used after the name to separate Ph.D. from it. So try to put a comma. But never use another punctuation mark as such full stop or colon after your name. I have seen people using other punctuation marks like semicolon after name and then they write the title Ph.D. Some don’t use at all. All such things are mistakes. Use the only comma after your name always.

Can we write Dr instead of Ph.D. after the name?

Writing a doctor instead of a Ph.D. means a different thing. So you cannot use such way. As this is not the right format. ‘Dr’ is used at the beginning of the name as another title. But after the name, it must be a Ph.D. and not ‘Dr’

Should we write a Ph.D. at all after one’s name that is too long?

Sometimes it so happens that your name is too long to write Ph.D. after it. During this trouble, you must cut out some part of the name and type PhD as a title after your name. There is no other way to do it.  Usually, longs name are common in some countries like Germany and India. But in the USA we have shorter names. Whatever may be the length, you must try to use the most used name and eliminate the rest of the name. This way you can use the title Ph.D. comfortable after your name. Always try to use the same name. Don’t change the name or cut your name in different ways on different days. These will again a problem to your recognition.

Should we write phd or ph d on business card, welcome banners during functions?

On welcome banners and business cards, it is very important to mention the title Ph.D. This will be more serious if you do not use the Ph.D. title after the name. There are many people watching that public banner. If you do not write the title after the name, you are disrespecting the guest totally. So be aware of using the title ofPh.D. whenever you have public functions or welcome banners or during some important meetings.  This is a sign that others should treat the guest better than the other out there.

Should the font size of Ph.D. be the same as someone’s name?

The name and the title Ph.D. must be in the same size. There must not be unusual differences. Font sizes matter a lot. Don’t use wrong font size or awkward fonts while using your title Ph.D. after your name. The best font could be like Ariel, Lato, Times New Roman, etc. These fonts will look better as a Ph.D. title after your name. Initially, there is some confusion about using the right font. But once you learn the size usage, you are comfortable using them rightly. Even when you write manually, you can easily write with similar size throughout. This requires a good amount of practice to write the Ph.D. title after your name with good font limitations.

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Professional Title Etiquette: When to Use Your Dr. Title

Socially as well as professionally, medical doctors, dentists, and other professionals are addressed by, and introduced with, their titles. People who have earned a Ph.D. or any other academic, nonmedical doctoral degree have the choice of whether to use "Dr." both professionally and socially.  If, when meeting people with doctorates, you're unsure how to address them, "Dr." is always correct.  If they'd rather the title be dropped, they will let you know.

It's more common for women to use the title "Doctor" socially as well as professionally than in the past. When a married woman uses the title "Dr." (either medical or academic) socially, addressing social correspondence to the couple is a little trickier. If her husband is not a doctor, address letters to Dr. Sonia and Mr. Robert Harris. Her name comes first because her professional title "outranks" his social title. If her husband is also a doctor, the address is either The Drs. (Doctors) Harris or Drs. Sonia and Robert Harris (the order of the names doesn't matter).

The Reverend

In introductions and correspondence, many Protestant clergy are referred to as "The Reverend." While business correspondence is addressed to The Reverend James Norris, (D.D., if held), social correspondence is slightly different: The Reverend (Mr./Dr.) and Mrs. James Norris. In conversation, a clergyman or clergywoman is addressed as Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms./Pastor/Rector/Reverend Norris.

Addressing a husband or wife who are both "Reverends" follows the same format as a husband and wife who are both doctors: The Reverends Norris or The Reverend Mrs./Ms. Patricia Norris and the Reverend Mr. James Norris. If either of the couple also has a doctorate degree, that person's name would go first: The Reverend Dr. James Norris and The Reverend Mrs./Ms. Patricia Norris.

Today "Esquire" is largely confined to business correspondence between attorneys and justices of the peace. An alternative is to write:

Mr. David Bowman

Attorney at Law

using two lines, no indent, and including the titles Mr. or Ms.

When "Esq." or "Esquire" is used, the name is never preceded by Mr., Ms., Mrs., or other titles such as Dr., and is written David Bowman, Esq. "Esquire" isn't used in introductions: "I'd like to introduce attorney David Bowman/Mr. David Bowman/David Bowman." It also isn't used for social correspondence, as when writing to a lawyer and his or her spouse or addressing a social invitation. Mr. and Mrs. David Bowman is the correct form.

Professional Designations

Professional designations such as CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or CLU (Certified Life Underwriter) are only used on business cards or business correspondence. They follow a person's name, and Mr. or Ms. isn't used: Martha Dawes, CPA; Phillip Olner, CLU. If a person has more than one designation, they're listed in the order received: Phillip Olner, CLU, CFP. Socially, use Mr., Ms., or Mrs. without the professional designation: Ms. Martha Dawes.

Other Titles

Every day we run into people who have an official title. The police officer at the desk is Sergeant Flynn; the head of the fire department is Chief Elmore; the club chef is Chef Rossi; the pilot on your plane is Captain Howe; and so forth. When on the job, such people are always addressed by their titles, just as they are when the matter at hand is related to their work. Socially, many don't use their titles, though they may. Sometimes a title sticks: A local judge, for example, who's been called by his title for a number of years, is usually addressed as "Judge" even after his retirement.

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Do the credentials or titles of authors I cite need to be given?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

As the MLA Handbook notes (1.2), a title like  Dr. or  Sir should not be included before a name mentioned in the text and is usually unnecessary to include in your works-cited-list entry.

You might, however, explain the qualifications of an author in the body of your essay if they are helpful in making your point or refuting a claim:

Although many continue to deny the dangers of fossil fuel emissions, James E. Hansen, a climate scientist and the former head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, argues that “[c]ontinued failure to phase out fossil fuel emissions will consign our children to a diminishing existence.”

Work Cited Hansen, James E. “The Constitutional Right to a Healthier Climate.”  The Boston Globe , 9 Mar. 2016, www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/03/09/ the-constitutional-right-healthier-climate/0xTKyK1s5SaD0ne78YqRHL/ story.html.

Style Manual

Secondary navigation, academics and professionals.

Follow these rules to address and title academics and professionals correctly. The guidance focuses on academics, medical practitioners, dentists and veterinarians. Apply the rules when writing about individuals in other professions.

Use initial capitals for the titles of individual academics and professionals

The academic and professional titles held by individuals usually have initial capitals. This includes honorary titles.

Use lower case if you use a title generically .

• Adjunct Professor Monty Chiratte [Honorary academic title]
• All general surgeons at the hospital attended Wednesday’s forum. [Generic use]

Use full titles in certain contexts

Academics and professionals are often addressed by their ‘full title’. A full title includes the title or honorific (with initial capitals), name, post-nominals, position and organisation.

Use a full title:

• to introduce an individual as speaker
• in address and signature blocks in correspondence
• in official records of proceedings
• in lists in organisational publications such as annual reports.
• if it is important to know where an individual works.

A full title is often about using titles in a display or presentation context (display text).

• Professor Margaret Gardner AC, President and Vice-Chancellor, Monash University [Full title]

Titles immediately before a name

Use initial capitals for titles that appear immediately before a person’s name. Do this unless the title is generic .

Also use initial capitals for the shortened forms of titles.

• Our new vice-chancellor and president is Professor Rufus Black.
• We welcome Dr Jamilah Mulyadi to our clinic. Dr Mulyadi is now available for skin examinations.

Shortened forms for titles immediately before a name

Only use shortened forms of titles in limited circumstances. People might understand common contractions like ‘Prof’ for ‘Professor’, but some shortened forms are confusing. For example, the initialism for ‘Pro Vice-Chancellor’ is ‘PVC’. To ensure your content is readable, write the title in full.

Shortened forms are sometimes necessary because of limited space. For example, shortened forms often appear in tables. List the full form of any title that people might find confusing in a note .

The space available for image captions can be limited, but write the full names and titles as a default. If you have to use initials and the shortened forms of titles in a caption, always include the full forms in body text to provide context.

‘Dr’ is an exception in all instances. Like ‘Ms’ and ‘Mr’, ‘Dr’ is easy to understand when it appears before a name.

• Departmental officers recently attended Upsilon University’s annual Copyright Symposium. The academic panel (pictured below), chaired by Vice-Chancellor Tom Dhillon , discussed recent cases with implications for fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. [Body text: spelt-out titles]
• Left to right: Associate Professor Sara Baird, Vice-Chancellor Tom Dhillon, Dean Frank Ealing, Adjunct Professor Olena Iraklidis, Dr Celia Nieminen [Image caption: preferred style]
• Left to right: Assoc Prof S Baird, VC T Dhillon, Dean F Ealing, Adj Prof O Iraklidis, Dr C Nieminen [Image caption: only for limited space]

Titles that replace a name

Use initial capitals for official titles that replace a name.

Titles replacing a name also have initial capitals:

• when you address someone directly
• for salutations in correspondence.

For all other uses, titles that a replace a name should be lower case.

These other uses include abbreviated titles and titles given by an organisation to a role or position. Academic and professional organisations might capitalise such titles as a mark of respect or status, but this is not Australian Government style . Treat them as generic and use lower case.

• The  Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tasmania visited last week. [Initial capitals: official title replacing name]
• The vice-chancellor visited Burnie campus last week. [Lower case: abbreviated title replacing name]
• Dear Chancellor [Initial capital: salutation]
• ‘We note your concerns Doctor . Thank you for bringing this evidence before the committee’. [Initial capital: direct address]

Titles after a name

Use lower case for most titles that appear after a name. These titles describe the individual and are generic.

There is one exception. Only use initial capitals for titles after a name in a full title .

This includes for:

• address and signature blocks in correspondence
• lists in organisational publications such as annual reports.

Follow your organisation’s template style for signature blocks. Templates apply design elements and list all elements in correct order. Some organisations prefer all capitals for names, titles and the organisation’s name.

• They met with Associate Professor Dianne Stephens OAM, medical director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.  [Lower case: generic descriptive title in body text]
• Associate Professor Dianne Stephens OAM, Medical Director , National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre  [Initial capitals: full title]
• Professor Chris Goodnow FAA FRS Executive Director Garvan Institute of Medical Research 384 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Australia  [Initial capitals: full title for address block]
• Dr Fatima Dashti FASM Director (Research) Institute for Viruses telephone email website  [Initial capitals: full title for signature block. Order of elements might vary.]
• #LIVE #COVID Update with Professor Paul Kelly, Australian Government Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health. [Initial capitals: full title to introduce speaker in government video.]

2021 Innovation Award recipients

Dr Joanne Zheng Senior Research Scientist AcmeCo Australia Professor Alexander Bannon Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Adelaide [Initial capitals: full titles for list in annual report]

Use lower case for titles used in a generic way

Generic use of academic and professional titles includes:

• titles that describe a named individual
• plural titles
• common nouns.

As shown in the previous section, most titles that appear after a name are generic.

Some titles appearing immediately before a name are also generic because they describe the individual. These titles are usually preceded by ‘the’ or a modifier. Adjectives are modifiers because they restrict the meaning of a noun.

• Professor Bartlett, the university’s vice-chancellor , welcomed alumni to the reception. [Lower case: descriptive title after a name]
• The research fellow Lydia Mbegngue wrote extensively on this topic. [Lower case: title before a name, modified by ‘the’]
• Several postdoctoral fellows in the research facility met last week. [Lower case: plural title]
• A provost oversees a university’s academic performance. [Lower case: common noun]
• Dhriti Saxena is a local doctor in general practice. [Lower case: common noun and descriptive title after a name]
• They met with former medical director Tom Perera. [Lower case: title immediately before a name, modified by ‘former’]
• Two doctors from this practice attended the conference. [Lower case: plural title]
• It is important to see your doctor to develop an asthma action plan. [Lower case: common noun]

Use title, name and post-nominals at first mention

When you write about an individual, it’s respectful to use their title.

The first time you mention someone in body text, use their academic or professional title before their first name and last name, followed by post-nominals.

If you mention the individual again, only use the title and last name. Some academic titles have an accepted abbreviated title you can use after the first mention.

• Emeritus Professor Stephen Duckett has extensive experience in health care at senior leadership level. Professor Duckett’s membership of the RMIT Council concludes in 2022.
• [‘Professor’ is the accepted abbreviated title for an Emeritus or Emerita Professor.]

Never use the shortened form of the title in body text (‘Prof’ for example), except for the contraction ‘Dr’.

This year’s graduate cohort asked Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jonquil Johansson to moderate their debate.

DVC Jonquil Johansson to moderate their debate.

Write post-nominals after the name in academic and professional titles

Post-nominals are letters after a name that stand for academic, civil and military awards and honours .

Make sure you write post-nominals in the right order .

Don’t use commas before or between post-nominals.

• Professor Sally Wheeler OBE MRIA FAcSS FAAL

Use post-nominals at first mention only

The first time you write a name in body text, use the academic and professional title along with the first and last name. Include the post-nominal for a civil or military honour in the title.

If you mention the name again, use the title and last name, but don’t include the post-nominal.

• Dr Ziggy Switkowski AO has been chancellor of RMIT since 2011. Dr Switkowski is also chair of NBN Co.

Include post-nominals in the shortened forms of titles

Retain any post-nominals for civil and military honours when using the shortened forms of titles.

• Attendees: Dr Z Switkowski AO , Prof M Bean CBE , Dr S Andrews, Ms J Latchford, Prof S Duckett, Ms T McLaughin and Mr D Hoogstra. [Extract from minutes of a university council meeting]

Use post-nominals for academic and professional qualifications in 2 contexts

Post-nominals can also stand for tertiary and professional qualifications.

Use these post-nominals:

• for correspondence within the academic community
• to show relevant expertise.

Don’t include both ‘Dr’ (doctorate) and ‘PhD’ (Doctor of Philosophy) for the one name. It is conventional to use either the title or the post-nominal. This also applies to PhD equivalents such as ‘LLD’ (Doctor of Laws).

Don’t include post-nominals for master and bachelor degrees in correspondence.

• Dr Zdenka Svoboda or Zdenka Svoboda PhD [Individual with doctorate]
• Dr Amin Salke MD FRACGP [Medical practitioner]
• Brent Hulot CPA [Accountant]
• Mark Price BEngTech TMIEAust [Engineer]
• Mia Lillard BCom CFP [Financial planner]

Titles for academics

In most contexts, address academics with their full title: title or honorific, name, position, post-nominals and academic institution.

• Associate Professor Peter Spencer, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University [Full title]
• Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO Director of Research Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research University of Technology Sydney PO Box 123 Broadway NSW 2007 Australia    [Full title: address block]

An academic who is knighted

Use ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame’ after the academic title.

• Chancellor Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE
• Chancellor Sir Albert Axon KBE

Emails and letters to academics

Keep the initial capital for the title in correspondence when you’re writing to a specific person.

In formal correspondence:

• Open with ‘Chancellor’ (or ‘Vice-Chancellor’, ‘Professor’ and so on).
• Conclude with ‘Yours faithfully’.

In less formal correspondence:

• Open with ‘Dear Chancellor’ (or ‘Vice-Chancellor’, ‘Professor’ and so on).
• Conclude with ‘Yours sincerely’.

Don’t include a comma after these phrases. Australian Government style is to write salutations without punctuation.

Dear Associate Professor … Yours faithfully

Dear Assistant Professor … Yours sincerely

Dear Associate Professor , … Yours faithfully ,

Dear Assistant Professor , … Yours sincerely ,

How to address associate and assistant professors correctly in correspondence differs by country and educational institution.

For Australian correspondence, write ‘Dear Associate Professor’ and ‘Dear Assistant Professor’ not ‘Dear Doctor’ or ‘Dear Professor’.

People with doctorates

You can address people who hold a doctorate as ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr’ (without a full stop). Today, it is acceptable to use ‘Dear Dr Name’ for both formal and informal correspondence.

When writing ‘Dear’ without the person’s name in emails and letters, write the title ‘Doctor’ in full.

Don’t include a comma after these phrases.

• Dear Dr Muecke
• Dear Doctor

A holder of a doctorate who is knighted

If the holder of a doctorate is knighted, don’t address them as ‘Doctor’.

Instead, address the person by ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame’. Write the post-nominals for the knighthood after the name, followed by any other post-nominals. Don’t insert commas before or between the post-nominals.

• Dame Bridget Ogilvie AC DBE FRS FAA

Titles for medical practitioners, dentists and veterinarians

Use ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr’ for medical practitioners, dentists and veterinarians, whether or not they hold a doctorate. Those with a doctorate may choose to add the post-nominal ‘PhD’.

Use ‘Professor’, ‘Associate Professor’ or ‘Assistant Professor’ for doctors who hold these titles at academic institutions. Some doctors who hold professorships choose to use ‘Dr’ when working in clinical practice.

Surgeons in human medicine are traditionally called ‘Mr’, ‘Ms’ or their preferred gender-appropriate honorific. Some surgeons prefer to use ‘Dr’. For example, a search of the website of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons shows that council members use ‘Dr’, ‘Miss’, ‘Mr’, ‘Ms’, ‘Professor’ and ‘Associate Professor’.

It is best to contact the doctor’s practice if you are unsure of their preferred honorific. You are unlikely to cause offence if you use the title (or honour) awarded most recently.

• Doctor Farida Khan [Medical practitioner]
• Dr Wilson Chang MBBS [Medical practitioner]
• Dr Tina Macleod MD PhD [Medical practitioner with doctorate]
• Dr Phil Smith BDS [Dentist]
• Dr Eve Fenton BVSc DVM [Veterinarian]
• Miss Patricia Woo MBBS FRACS FAOrthA MsurgEd [Orthopaedic surgeon]
• Professor Henry Nicklin MBBS FRANZCP [Psychiatrist with academic title]

Release notes

The digital edition includes the information from the sixth edition with updated and additional examples.

Capitalisation rules in digital edition are linked to the title’s position in relation to the name. The digital edition also introduces the concept of a ‘full title’, mostly used in display contexts.

The sixth edition included relevant information about titles for academics and professionals.

The Content Guide had very brief information about abbreviations for some academic qualifications.

About this page

American Psychological Association (2020) ‘6.15: Job titles and positions’, Publication manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edn, American Psychological Association, Washington DC.

Oxford University Press (2016) ‘5.10: Titles of office, rank, and relationship’, New Oxford style manual , Oxford University Press, Oxford.

University of Chicago (2017) ‘Names, terms and titles of work’, Chicago manual of style, 17th edn, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (Ahpra) (2021) National boards , Ahpra website, accessed 20 June 2021.

Australian National University (n.d.) University executive , ANU website, accessed 8 June 2020.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2016) It’s an honour , PM&C website, accessed 13 June 2020.

Engineers Australia (n.d.) Engineer of the Year Awards , Engineers Australia website, accessed 8 June 2020.

Garvan Institute of Medical Research (2021) ‘ Leadership ’, About the Garvan Institute , Garvan Institute website, accessed 7 June 2021.

Medical Board of Australia (2012) ‘ Medical registration: what does it mean? Who should be registered? ’, Codes, Guidelines and Policies , Ahpra website, accessed 26 July 2021.

Monash University (n.d.) ‘ Senior Monash staff ’, Organisational governance and structure , Monash University website, accessed 10 June 2020.

Murdoch University (n.d.) ‘ Environmental & Conservation Sciences ’, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education: academic operations , Murdoch University website, accessed 19 July 2021.

National Centre of Biography (n.d.) Australian dictionary of biography , Australian Dictionary of Biography website, accessed 19 July 2021.

National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) (n.d.) ‘ Our people ’, About Us , NCCTRC website, accessed 6 July 2021.

Podiatric Board of Australia (2012) ‘ When is it necessary to be registered as a podiatry practitioner? ’, General Registration , Ahpra website, accessed 26 July 2021.

RMIT University (2021) Governance and management , RMIT University website, accessed 22 June 2021.

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) (n.d.) Council , RACS website, accessed 28 June 2021.

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia (n.d.) Australian honours and awards , The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia website, accessed 8 June 2020.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (n.d.) Fellowship , The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners website, accessed 8 June 2020.

University of Melbourne (n.d.) ‘ Honorary degree holders ’, Notable alumni and staff , University of Melbourne website, accessed 10 June 2020.

University of Technology Sydney (n.d.)  Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research , UTS website, accessed 23 June 2021.

University of Technology Sydney (n.d.) ‘ Our director: Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt ’ , Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research , UTS website, accessed 8 June 2020.

University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) (n.d.) Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President , USC website, accessed 16 July 2021.

University of Tasmania (2020), Biography , University of Tasmania website, accessed 19 May 2021.

University of Western Australia (2020) ‘ Former officers of the university ’, History of the university , University of Western Australia website, accessed 10 June 2020.

Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland (2018) Policy (general) , Queensland Government website, accessed 20 June 2021.

Last updated

This page was updated Monday 12 September 2022.

Help us improve the Style Manual

• 11 . 12 . 20

Should I Put PhD After My Name on LinkedIn? Yes! Here’s Why.

• Posted by: Chris

Updated December 21, 2022

If you’re a PhD who is getting active on LinkedIn, or perhaps creating a profile for the first time, you might be wondering whether you should put PhD after your name.

In this short post, I argue yes and give my reasons. Don’t forget to read our guide to LinkedIn for PhDs here. You’re welcome to connect with me there too- Find me here!

This post may contain links to affiliate products, which–if you choose to purchase–pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support our work. We only promote products we’ve used and love.

You can read my story about leaving academia in Doctoring: Building a Life With a PhD–Available on Amazon.

Should I put PhD after my name on LinkedIn?

Yes. There’s no harm in including PhD after your name on LinkedIn, and it may help. As your career progresses, you can decide whether or not to keep it as your skill-set gets more defined and you build a reputation for other things.

Why you might leave PhD off of your LinkedIn profile

The reasons often cited for leaving your PhD off of your LinkedIn profile are as follows:

1. Overqualification

How many PhDs believe that they are overqualified, especially since they’re often told this by managers?

I am hesitant to accept this. Managers might be concerned about two things: someone whose overqualified might expect higher compensation or might get bored and leave fast. Either of these might be reasons why they say you’re overqualified, but you can have that conversation in an interview–if you get there.

However, on LinkedIn, you want to attract the highest denominator of people who would be interested in your talent–as in, people who could actually envision a use for your PhD. Yes, they exist. You want to get the most AMAZING people to notice you, not the manager with no imagination who wants to use you for grunt work.

Did you know? When managers don’t want to hire PhDs, for any number of reasons, overqualification becomes an easy excuse for them to say no. If you suck at interviewing or don’t have the experience, they can let you down gently by saying, “We would have loved to hire you, but you’re overqualified.” It’s difficult to know if they’re actually telling the truth or if you are ACTUALLY overqualified.

2. Changing Industries

Some PhDs, like me, end up working in a different field than what their PhD was in. They’re worried that including a PhD on their LinkedIn profile is misleading since they haven’t actually obtained the qualification in their new industry.

If that’s the case for you, keep it on. Everybody’s career trajectory is different, but if PhD is a PhD. If people care enough about the details of your history, they can go figure out that you have changed fields. And if your PhD was in English literature, they won’t hire you for a job that requires a PhD in neurobiology–simple as that.

Why I think you should include it…

1. phds are leaders.

If you have a PhD, you are a leader. In the long term, develop a big-ass vision for your life and work that lets you operate at the very edge of all of your potential.

Today you might need a crap job to pay the bills. I’ve been there.

Tomorrow, once the bills are paid with your telemarketing gig (true story from a PhD I know), step out and grow a vision worthy of you.

I don’t care what somebody told you about you being overqualified, the hardest thing about being a PhD in the labor market is growing your leadership ability to match the letters after the name.

There are a lot of things you can do to influence your brand. You can create a LinkedIn account for example that screams leader instead of a dispensable employee.

But either way, those letters after your name are a sign of your greatness. I wouldn’t get rid of them. I would grow the rest of your brand until you look like a leader to everybody who looks at you.

2. People respect it

It might be hard to believe, but there are a lot of people out there who respect your PhD. I think some PhDs get mixed messages about this because they talk to family members or others who don’t understand our world.

The thing is, you need to understand that not all work outside of Academia is created equal. Not all of it will respect your PhD.

So your uncle who is in management at a paper mill or your cousin who works in a municipal government office are not going to get it. Why would they? They are not in the right type of workplaces.

Some PhDs do end up working in these kinds of spaces. And sometimes aren’t appreciated.

However, if you can get around the knowledge economy, your PhD is going to be respected.

So leaving it off of your LinkedIn because of what certain people might think is actually pandering to the wrong people anyways. You want knowledge economy people to notice you, and it’s totally fine if some of the others don’t.

FURTHERMORE! I’ve heard from women and racialized folks that including the “Dr.” or “PhD” can, in some cases, help them get the respect they deserve.

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3. You might remove it with time

I’ve noticed that, with time, some of my contacts who are PhDs have removed the letters from after their names. In most of these cases, they’re not job searching. They are established and known for things other than their PhD. They’re running companies, they have high-quality product management skills, etc.

If you are just starting out, it makes total sense to keep PhD on your LinkedIn. And make sure your LinkedIn looks great, I have a guide for how to do that here.

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9 Correct Ways to Write PhD Title on a Business Card

Writing a Ph.D. title on your business card can be a great thing to include. However, there are a few ways to write it, and it would help to know which ones work best. This article will explore some of the best options.

The preferred choices are “name, Ph.D. in discipline name,” “name, Ph.D.,” and “Dr. name.” You can use these options to be subtle and clear on your business cards. It shows that you’ve earned a Ph.D. without going into too much detail and scaring people away.

Name, Ph.D. In Discipline Name

“Name, Ph.D. in discipline name” gives you a good way of showing what you specialize in. Being specific about the discipline that you studied is a great way of showing people what you know about and what you can bring to the table.

If your Ph.D. doesn’t directly relate to the job you have, it might be worth being more specific about the discipline you’re qualified in. This can let people know that you have a Ph.D., but it doesn’t directly translate to your current job.

There’s nothing wrong with this. After all, plenty of people go to university and get a degree but never use it once they get out into the working world.

As long as you have a Ph.D., you can include it on your business card.

Some people might be a little bit off by it, but that’s not always a bad thing. The only issue is if people think you’re bragging by including that you have a Ph.D. You should be careful if this is the case.

Check out these examples to learn how you can use this one:

• Sarah Terrence, Ph.D. in Social Science
• Tom Alexander, Ph.D. in Research
• Harriet Edwards, Ph.D. in Mathematics

Name, Ph.D.

If you don’t feel the need to be specific about the discipline you have a Ph.D. in, you can leave it out. Instead, you can just include your name before the Ph.D. title to show that you have achieved a doctorate at university .

This can be a much better choice than the previous one. Being specific about your discipline choice isn’t always a good move, especially if it doesn’t relate to the job you’re advertising with your business card.

However, if your Ph.D. does directly relate to the job you currently have, including “Ph.D.” as a title works well. It shows someone that you’ve spent a lot of time studying things related to the job that you currently possess.

This will allow most people to have more faith in you and your ability. Again, though, it can be a bit alienating to someone that doesn’t have a Ph.D.

These examples will show you more about how this works:

• Steven Tonbridge, Ph.D.
• Jon Magcargo, Ph.D.
• Arlow Burrows, Ph.D.

You can also use the “Dr.” title instead of “Ph.D.” Many people prefer to include “Dr.” before their name to show that they have earned their doctorate (which is a Ph.D.) in a particular field.

If you’re going to use “Dr.,” you should only use “Dr.” There is never an appropriate time where “Dr.” and “Ph.D.” should be used together. If they are seen together, it is informal and unprofessional because it is a redundant phrase that doesn’t work:

• Incorrect: Dr. Smith, Ph.D.

Some people think that “Dr.” is less aggressive than “Ph.D.” as well. This can help you to stop people from feeling more alienated by the fact that you’ve achieved your Ph.D. when they haven’t.

As before, it’s still better to include “Dr.” when it’s relevant to your job role. If it doesn’t do anything specific to add value to what you do, it might not be worth including it at all.

Check these examples out to see what you might be able to do with it:

• Dr. Tom Sawyer
• Dr. Matthew Perry
• Dr. Suzanne Barker

You might also find that the first name is dropped. However, this will remove the more personal flair that most business cards benefit from:

• Dr. Winters
• Dr. Arlington

Name, Ph.D., Job Title

You may also find that adding your job title after your name and Ph.D. title works well. This just shows people the kind of work that you do, and what you are able to do with your additional Ph.D. title.

Using a job title is a good way to show what people can expect from you after reading your business card.

Here are a couple of examples that can work well:

• Thomas Jeffery, Ph.D., Supervisor
• Patricia Merry, Ph.D., Customer Service
• Dexter Morgan, Ph.D., Blood Spatter Analyst

Dr. Name, Job Title

“Dr. name, job title” is a good option that shows you have a Ph.D. without using the formal title after the name. You can use “Dr.” here again, but include your job title after your name to show what you are offering.

Including your job title or role on a business card is a common practice for some people. It helps them to establish what they are offering through their business card, which allows the people who have the business card to know more about them.

These examples will show you how it can look on a business card:

• Dr. Sue Perkins, Number Cruncher
• Dr. Steve Taylor, Financial Advisor
• Dr. Marcus Christie, Freelance Auditor

Again, you can remove the first name when “Dr.” is used. We don’t recommend this in most cases because it might lose the personal touch:

• Dr. Honest, Stock Broker
• Dr. Pope, Estate Agent
• Dr. Tomkins, Translator

Name, Ph.D., University

You might also find that mentioning the university where you got your Ph.D. is a good choice on a business card. Some people like to do this when they want to show that they went to an esteemed university and earned the highest degree.

If you’re going to use this one, you need to be careful. Many people see this as a form of bragging. It will only work well if you’re giving your business cards to people of equal qualifications or interests.

Most people without a Ph.D. will disregard your business card if it’s written like this. Mentioning your university is another way of showing people that you might feel a bit more superior to them.

Even if you didn’t include the Ph.D. title and university name maliciously, it could still be perceived in this way. You’ll want to pay attention to these kinds of things before it comes to passing your business cards around.

These examples will give you an idea of how you can include a university:

• Garry Geary, Ph.D., University of Virginia
• Peter Taylor, Ph.D., Oxford University
• Tara Howard, Ph.D., Cambridge University

Dr. Name, University

Another good way of writing your Ph.D. title with your university is to include the “Dr.” title before your name. Remember, there is no need to include both Dr. and Ph.D. in the same name, as this is seen as a redundancy in most formal cases.

Again, you’ve got to be careful using something like this. It can easily alienate anybody who doesn’t have these qualifications.

The only reason you’d definitely want to include something like this on your business card is if it directly ties in with your job role. If you use your Ph.D. in some way for your job, it could be worth including it to show that you have spent a lot of time researching what you do.

Here are some examples of how you can use this:

• Dr. Paul Walker, King’s College
• Dr. Samantha Weiss, Brown University
• Dr. Sarah Fredrikson, Harvard University

Yet again, since “Dr.” is used, you can remove the first name. This can work in some cases, but you have to know whether the personal tone of including your first name is more appropriate for your particular business card:

• Dr. Westbridge, Oxford University
• Dr. Grace, Colchester University
• Dr. Smith, Cornell University

Name, University

You don’t need to include your formal title when you are writing your university. You can simply write your name if you do not believe that including your formal title helps your business card in any way.

Remember, a formal title can put a lot of people off. If someone doesn’t have a Ph.D. of their own, they might be intimidated or put off by somebody who does.

It can look like bragging, even if you don’t intend for it to be bragging. It might be wiser to avoid using it unless you know that it’s important to include it based on the business you’re trying to promote with your business card.

Simply including your name with no formal title works like this:

• Scott Abs, Oxford University
• Pete Walters, University of California
• Abbie Drawn, Brown University

Name, Job Title

It might be wise to remove your university name and formal title. In place of anything else, you’ll be better off just using your job title with your name. No titles or university names need to be included. This is a fairly informal option that works well.

While it doesn’t outright say that you have a Ph.D. of any kind, it can still work well for Ph.D. owners. After all, you don’t always have to talk about your Ph.D., even if you have managed to earn one.

If your Ph.D. adds nothing of value or note to your job role, then there’s no reason to include it on your business card. Again, it’s a good way to alienate people who don’t have a Ph.D. of their own.

These examples should clear up how this one should look:

• Jon Walker, I.T. Technician
• Peter Burrows, Financial Advisor
• Tom Christie, Broker

You may also like: DSc Degree vs. PhD Degree – What’s the Difference? Should I Write Ph.D. or PhD? (Complete Guide)

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

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How to Display Your Nursing Credentials (With Examples)

How to display your nursing credentials, style notes.

• When to Include

As a nurse, you are probably used to the list of credential acronyms after your colleagues names. Whether you’re just starting out or are in the process of advancing your nursing career, you’ll come to realize that credentials – and how you display them – are important. They indicate that you have the education and certification to do a particular type of nursing. This article will explain how to properly list them and give you nursing credentials examples.

“Having a standard way ensures that everyone—including nurses, healthcare providers, consumers, third-party payers, and government officials—understands the significance and value of credentials,” says the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) , a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA).

To help avoid any confusion as to which designations should get top billing, there is a specific procedure for displaying your credentials in a uniform way. This is a step-by-step guide to understanding and displaying your nursing credentials (as recommended from the American Nursing Association).

Let’s use the example of this nurse:

Margaret Miranda, MSN, RN, APRN, OCN

1. Start with Education

Immediately following someone’s name, start by listing the highest earned degree. Educational degrees are the most important because they are permanent. Once you earn them, they stay with you throughout your professional life.

If you’ve earned a non-nursing degree, that is usually not included unless it’s directly related to your nursing job somehow. One example of a relevant, non-nursing degree might be if you are a nurse manager and you earned your MBA .

If you do wish to list a second degree, it should go after your highest nursing degree. Using the example at the beginning, Margaret Miranda has a Master’s of Science in Nursing thus the letters MSN follow her name.

2. Licensure

Next up is your licensure (e.g. “RN” “LPN”). In order to be a practicing nurse, your educational accomplishments are not enough. You must become licensed. Therefore, you must include if you’re an RN or an LPN immediately following your degree. Margaret Miranda is a Registered Nurse therefore the letters RN follow here educational degree (MSN).

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3. Specialty

If you’ve gone on to earn any additional advanced nursing specialization, you’ll want to list that designation next. These acronyms might include things like APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) , NP (Nurse Practitioner) , and CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist) . Margaret Miranda is also an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and therefore the letters APRN follow her licensure of RN.

Some nursing specialties also require national certification from an accredited certifying body. Some nurses decide to take a particular certification that sometimes shows a higher level of knowledge in that specialty and that’s where this next credential listing comes into play.

Examples of national certifications include Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN), Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC) Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) and Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist-Board Certified (AGCNS-BC). If you have more than one certification, you can either list them in order of relevance to your current practice, or in the order you obtained them. Margaret Miranda is also an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) and therefore the letters OCN follow the letters APRN.

So now that you know the order in which you should list your nursing credentials, what will your signature actually look like written out? Here’s an easy rule to remember: Credentials should be comma-separated from your name and from each other, and they do not include periods. Returning to our prior example:

When Should I Include My Nursing Credentials?

While it’s not necessary to include a laundry list of credentials every time you sign a check or your kids’ homework, you’ll need to use them when you’re on the job. Most important is that you include your credentials on any legal medical documents that you sign, including prescriptions, medical charts, and patient records.

Another time when you should list your nursing credentials is if you choose to submit a paper to a nursing journal, since it’s important to show that you have expertise in the subject you’re writing about.

Nursing is all about being well educated, keeping patient care skills fresh, and achieving career goals through certification. As you keep tacking on more and more professional accomplishments, don’t be shy about adding more letters to your signature. After all, you worked hard to earn them, and they represent all of the knowledge and experience that you’ve accumulated over the years.

High-paying nursing opportunities abound. As an in-demand nurse, you are in control of your career. Check out the best jobs from coast to coast on our job board. Get the pay and career path you deserve.  Click here to see today’s best nursing opportunities .

Dawn Papandrea is a Staten Island, NY-based freelance writer who specializes in personal finance, parenting, and lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Family Circle, WomansDay.com, Parents, CreditCards.com, and more.

What order do you list nursing credentials in?

• The preferred order of credentials is: 1. Highest earned educational degree 2. Licensure 3. State designations or requirements 4. National certifications 5. Awards and honors and 5. Other non-nursing recognitions.

What credentials should you list?

• According to the American Nurses Credentialing Center you should list your highest earned educational earned degree (ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP), your licensure (RN, LPN/LVN), state designations or requirements, and national certifications, and finally awards and honors. 

What to do if you have more than one type of the same credential?

• List the highest degree first. For example, if you have a DNP and a MSN - it should be listed as Name DNP, MSN. Because DNP and MSN degrees are in the same field most individuals will only list the highest degree. However, if you have a DNP and MBA (two unrelated degrees), both should be listed. Multiple nursing certifications such as CCRN , RNC, CPON may all be listed but it is suggested to list the most relevant certifications to your practice first. Interestingly, most nurses list them in order of preference or when they earned the certification. Regardless, always list non-nursing certifications last. 

What are the most common nursing credentials?

• Credentials can be broken down into several categories including education, licensure, state designations or requirements, national certifications, awards and honors and other non-nursing certifications. 

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