This discrimination is particularly noteworthy concerning a highly public figure in the United States. This person is Jill Biden (wife of US President Joe Biden). Dr. Biden received an education doctorate as a mature woman and is still committed to teaching at an academic institution. Yet, many of her husband’s opponents have criticized Jill Biden for using her title as Dr. Biden. Though she is fully entitled to use this label, there is a lingering sense that her “doctorate” is somehow not worthy of being “touted” by her or those with whom she is interacting (and influencing as a role model and policy advocate).
Conclusions
Given this background regarding the use of titles and culture in the helping professions, we are now ready to explore the use of “doctor” in professional psychology. We will provide this analysis by acknowledging that the use of titles in professional psychology is ultimately founded on the medical profession’s highly influential cultures and hierarchies. We turn first to the world of professional psychology in the United States, then consider what is happening in Canada.
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