I doubt the reporter spent years achieving his doctorate.

And it is completely ridiculous to have an article that is pretty much solely about whether she should use the term “Dr.” I’m sure there is something more important that a journalist could be informing his/her readership about.

“Ms. Abcarian,

Dr. Kissinger, Dr. Rice, Dr. King. If you find these titles
appropriate, please explain why you insinuate that Dr. Biden is somehow
pompous or disingenous when addressed by her proper academic title. An
earned doctorate, regardless of the field, is an immense achievement
worthy of respect. Your cheap shots reveal a bias unbecoming of someone
at least nominally filling the position of journalist. Most egresgious
is the insinuation that somehow, because the European Union may have
rules to differentiate their degrees from ours, that her degree and
title are frauds. You should apologize.
>>>>>>>>
You really should not be taking your marching orders from Media Matters,
who are a bunch of blowhards. I never suggested Jill Biden is guilty of
title abuse, and perhaps if you read the story, you would understand
that.
Best,

What’s interesting to me is how this varies by field. In my field, no one I know goes by “Dr.” They all prefer to be addressed by either “Professor” or their first name (at least with graduate students). I heard one joke that “all professors are doctors, but not all doctors are professors,” suggesting it was the more exclusive/prestigious degree. Either one, obviously, connotes respect for one’s education and professional achievements in a way that “Mrs.” or first name do not.

Also, for me, what I call a prof is determined by what they invite me to call them or by how they sign their emails. If they sign their emails “JWS” (initials), then I address them as Professor. If they sign “Jane” I take that as an invitation to use their first name. Interestingly, almost all the faculty who have kept using their intials with me long after I first met them are male, and most of the faculty who invite the use of their first names are female. Don’t know what that says, but that’s my anecdotal experience.