Riddle Me This... Rank/Medical Field

[crimewatcher]

*Disclaimer*
I know that since I'm just a 'lowly' Civilian it technically doesn't matter but I'm curious.

(1) How does rank work in the Armed Forces Medical Field?
Example, My Doctor at the base Clinic is also a Captain in the AF.

Which title takes precedence? Captain or Doctor?

Normally, since I'm a Civilian I would think Doctor.. but he doesn't wear a Doctors coat or have anything on it that says Doctor. (Since my H is a Pilot and on Flight Status, I am seen by Flight Medicine, so my Doctor wears the same Flight Suit as H but has the Med Group Patch on his arm). I'm know the ABUs have more Med insignia.

Anyway just wondering, and figured one of the ladies here has to either be in the Medical Field or have a SO that is.

[crimewatcher]

Jun 19, 2012 15:22:19 GMT -5 killercupcake said:

He's still a doctor, regardless of rank.

You can call him "Captain" I suppose, and I know some people here would. But don't feel weird referring to him as Doctor. I don't.

Well at first he asked for me to refer to him by his first name, and I said the lowest I would go is Sir. LoL Just seemed odd to me.

[crimewatcher]

Jun 19, 2012 15:21:42 GMT -5 @ojo said:

We refer to them by their title, just like we do for the chaplains, but neither is wrong. My current PCM is an NP, so we call her Major Smith, but my last one was a PA, and we referred to him as PA Smith. I could have called him Lt Smith and it wouldn't have been incorrect.

Thanks.

Next Question: Do you still have to follow rules for Saluting? (This question sounds really stupid coming out but.. as I was chilling on the table naked with a sheet for my yearly woman exam, I couldn't help but think it would be really fucking awkward if I had to salute her (if I was lower ranking member of the Military).

[crimewatcher]

Jun 19, 2012 15:34:07 GMT -5 killercupcake said:

Jun 19, 2012 15:31:36 GMT -5 crimewatcher said:

Thanks.

Next Question: Do you still have to follow rules for Saluting? (This question sounds really stupid coming out but.. as I was chilling on the table naked with a sheet for my yearly woman exam, I couldn't help but think it would be really fucking awkward if I had to salute her (if I was lower ranking member of the Military).

I've never seen H salute any of his doctors unless outdoors in uniform and wearing a cover. He'll stand at parade rest if he's standing up, but other than that, what I've witnessed is really casual.

ahh Thanks! I forgot about the being outside part. Makes sense.

[meltoine]

Under normal circumstances, you don't salute inside anyway.

I've always called my doctors "doctor", but H always asks his if they prefer to be called by their rank or not.

[nsl]

(wife of an Army physician here)

Practicing physicians are usually just called "Doctor" while working. Thoses who have moved into higher-level hospital administration roles more often go by their rank even though they're also usually physicians. Nurses, in my experience, use rank in professional settings.

[basilosaurus]

I wouldn't make it in the military. I'm a really informal person, so if someone wants me to call them by first name, I do. But I can't say I've ever called a doctor anything. I just address them directly without names.

[iluvmytxrgr]

I think it also depends on branch. In my experience with the Army, MDs are addressed by their rank, PAs are addressed by their rank or name, medics are called "Doc" or their rank and name and nurses are addressed by their rank.

[amaristella]

On DH's boat they have a hospital corpsman, no idea what his rank is but everyone from top to bottom just calls him "doc" just like everybody calls my husband "chop". Heck, they even address me as "mrs. chop".

Like Sibil said I don't really address my doctor as anything. It's not really anything that I've ever thought about.

[Dory1988]

I usually address my PCM as their rank. My first PCM was an NP and my second was a doctor. Maybe that's because DH worked with all of them and that's how he always referred to them?