God, I’ve tried to avoid this conversation, but I’m going to put it out there. I’m Dr. Gilliam. I worked my butt off for that title. I like it. The first time someone called me “Doctor” was one of the proudest moments of my life.

I am routinely stripped of my title by both patients and other members of the healthcare team. On one hand, I get it. I’m young and hip and everyone loves me and they want to talk to me like we’re friends. (Seriously, I’m kidding.

You’re in the wrong place if you’re even beginning to take that part seriously.) Non-physician providers in my community are often called “Doctor” by the very people who call me by my first name.

The fact remains that as a woman, I am often NOT recognized as a physician in the work setting and that has serious ramifications for patient care. So it’s not about my thinking I’m better than anyone.

It’s about the persistent failure of society to believe in what women can do the way that they believe in men. It’s about arbitrary limits being applied to my role because of my gender. That’s problematic. And I say this as a privileged white woman.

BIPOC docs face far worse. So, yeah, to some of us, that degree of formality matters. But am I offended if you ask my patient “Is Dr. Gilliam your primary care provider?” No. Absolutely not. In my mind, a physician is a type of provider.

A quick google search says that the word provide means “to equip or supply someone with (something useful or necessary)”. That is absolutely something that we should be doing! It is my job to equip my patients to manage their health.

So I’m not going to get my knickers in a twist because someone calls me a provider. We have so many larger battles. But I also won’t feel guilty that I like my title and I won’t begrudge that feeling to others.