05/12/2025
By: Dr Anei Dut Anei (MBBS) and a former colleague in secondary school.
A comment related to the previous post I shared in my facebook timeline—where I stated that I don’t understand why many people like to address me as a doctor—including specialists in my work field even though they see name tag written as 𝐂𝐎.𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐀𝐇 and leave my small title”𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 “
Here is what he wrote:- Dr. Lök Akuei Arop, it is not bad for people to adress you in that way. Sometimes, some titles are earned in the fields through the service you selflessly deliver to local citizens.
Remember Nigerian literature writer Chinua Acheve earned title of professor with though he never earned it academically. He did have PhD. He was endowed with the honorary title because of the selfless service he delivered in the world of literature. He was offered opportunities to teach at many American universities as professors.
Same to Dr. Vivien Thomas, he earned title of Dr. And professor, though he had never even to medical school. He was a secondary school leaver. He earned title of Dr. And professor and become the head of John Hopkins Hospital in USA . He earned all these not academically, but through the service he delivered to save the lives of children at which he helped Dr. Alfred Balallock, who was the head of surgery in John Hopkins Hospital, to find surgical technique of saving lives of children who were dying of Tetarology of Fallot, one of congenital heart diseases that causes severe cyanosis ti children turning them to "Blue colour ".
So, title earned through the services you deliver, holds great weighs, than the then title earned academically and weren't purposed to meet the intention of which they're awarded.
