Editing Doctor (title) (section)

====Germany====
In [[German language]]-speaking countries, the word ''Doktor'' refers to a doctorate awardee in formal language (similar to a PhD). It is distinct from ''Arzt'', since a doctoral degree is not a requirement for medical practitioners, though colloquial use of the word ''Doktor'' for physician is common and ordinary people often incorrectly assume that only Doktors may practice medicine. For this reason, 80% of all students in medicine write "doctoral" dissertations, often comparable to a master's thesis in science,<ref name="Beisiegel791">U. Beisiegel: ''Promovieren in der Medizin. Die Position des Wissenschaftsrates.'' In: ''Forschung & Lehre'' 7/09, 2009, S.&nbsp;491. {{cite web |url=http://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/wordpress/Archiv/2009/07-2009.pdf |title=Forschung und Lehre 7/09 |language=de |access-date=2015-05-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609080050/http://www.forschung-und-lehre.de/wordpress/Archiv/2009/07-2009.pdf |archive-date=2015-06-09 }}</ref> alongside their undergraduate studies to obtain a Dr. med. degree. The [[European Research Council]] decided in 2010 that those Dr. med. doctorates do not meet the international standards of a PhD research degree.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/bildung/qualitaet-medizinischer-promotionen-kommt-ein-doktor-zum-arzt--1.2673150|work=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]|date=1 October 2015|title=Kommt ein Doktor zum Arzt ...|author=Sarah Schmidt}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/lebenundlernen/uni/von-der-leyen-in-der-kritik-schlechte-promotionen-sind-in-der-medizin-ueblich-a-1055039.html|title=Akademische Ramschware|work=[[Der Spiegel]]|date=28 September 2015|author=Bernd Kramer}}</ref>

In [[Germany]], the most common doctoral degrees are ''Dr. med.'' (medicine), ''Dr. med. dent.'' (dentistry), ''Dr. med. vet.'' (veterinary medicine), ''Dr. rer. nat.'' (natural sciences), ''Dr. phil.'' (humanities), ''Dr. iur.'' (law), ''Dr. rer. pol.'' (economic and political sciences, also as Dr. rer. oec. in Switzerland), ''[[Doktoringenieur|Dr.-Ing.]]'' (engineering), and ''Dr. theol.'' (theology). All holders of doctoral degrees are appropriately addressed as "Herr/Frau Dr. _____" in all social situations.

In Germany, double doctorates are indicated in the title by ''"Dr. Dr."'' or ''"DDr."'' and triple doctorates as ''"Dr. Dr. Dr."'' or ''"DDDr."'' More doctorates are indicated by the addition of ''"mult."'', such as ''"Dr. mult."'' Honorary titles are shown with the addition of ''"h.c."'', which stands for ''"honoris causa"''. Example: ''"Dr. h.c. mult."'' Some honorary titles are shown by addition of German equivalents of ''"h.c."'', like ''"e.h."'', ''"E.h."'', or ''"eh."'', which stand for ''"ehrenhalber"'' (honorary). Example: ''"Dr. e.h. mult."''

All people holding a doctorate from an EU member state are, since 2001, entitled to use "Doctor" or "Dr." in all formal, legal and published communications without any further addenda. For academics with doctorates from non-EU member states, the qualification must be recognised formally ("validated") by the Federal Educational Ministry in Bonn. The recognition process can be done by the employer or employee and may be part of the official bureaucracy for confirming professional status and is dependent on individual bilateral agreements between Germany and other countries and, since 2007, the Lisbon Recognition Convention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/lisbon_convention.php|title=Lisbon Convention|website=Recognition in Germany|publisher=Federal Ministry of Education and Research|access-date=26 February 2017|archive-date=27 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227063810/https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/lisbon_convention.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> An example of mutual recognition of Doctor titles among EU countries is the "Bonn Agreement of November 14, 1994", signed between Germany and Spain (prior to the general recognition of EU doctorates).<ref>[http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1995/12243&codmap= Boletín Oficial del Estado. Texto del Documento] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219025837/http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1995%2F12243&codmap= |date=19 December 2008 }}. Boe.es (24 May 1995). Retrieved on 2011-12-17.</ref>

In 2008, [[Kultusministerkonferenz|The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany]] extended their 2001 decision to recognise EU PhDs to cover PhDs that were awarded in Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, and some American universities. It was announced in 2012 that this would be further extended to cover PhDs awarded in New Zealand. PhDs that were awarded in the United States are recognized if the awarding institution is classified by the [[Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching]] as a "Research University (high research activity)" or as a "Research University (very high research activity)." Permission to use the title covers only scientific research degrees and does not extend to professional degrees such as the MD or JD.<ref>{{cite web| title = Führung ausländischer Hochschulgrade| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150211223335/http://www.kmk.org/wissenschaft-hochschule/internationale-hochschulangelegenheiten/fuehrung-auslaendischer-hochschulgrade.html| archive-date = 11 February 2015| url = http://www.kmk.org/wissenschaft-hochschule/internationale-hochschulangelegenheiten/fuehrung-auslaendischer-hochschulgrade.html| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2001/2001_09_21-Auslaendische-HS-Grade.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211223335/http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2001/2001_09_21-Auslaendische-HS-Grade.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2015|title=Vereinbarung der Länder in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland über begünstigende Regelungen gemäß Ziffer 4 der "Grundsätze für die Regelung der Führung ausländischer Hochschulgrade im Sinne einer gesetzlichen Allgemeingenehmigung durch einheitliche gesetzliche Bestimmungen vom 14.04.2000" (Beschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz vom 21.09.2001 i. d. F. vom 26.06.2014)|access-date=15 November 2016|language=de|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6783089/Germany-goes-for-the-doctor-on-our-PhDs|title=Germany goes for the doctor on our PhDs|author=Michelle Duff
|date=21 April 2012|work=Stuff|publisher= Fairfax New Zealand Limited }}</ref>