Editing Doctor (title) (section)

==Usage by medical practitioners in the UK and culturally-related countries==
In the [[United Kingdom]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[South Africa]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Ghana]], and other countries whose cultures were recently linked to the UK, the title ''Dr'' is generally used both for those who hold doctoral degrees and for [[registered medical practitioner]]s. History has dictated the use of the courtesy title ''Dr'' by physicians and general practitioners.<ref>Charlton, Rodger (2007) ''Learning to Consult'', Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford, pp. 35–36</ref> However, [[surgeons]] do not use the title of ''Dr'' and, due to the origins of surgery with the [[barber surgeon]]s, instead use ''[[Mister (Mr.)|Mr]], [[Mrs.|Mrs]], [[Ms.|Ms]], [[Miss]]'', etc. This custom applies to surgeons of any grade who have passed the appropriate exams and is not the exclusive province of consultant-level surgeons. In recent times, other surgically orientated specialists, such as [[gynaecologist]]s, have also adopted these prefixes. A surgeon who is also a professor is usually known as "Professor" and, similarly, a surgeon who has been ennobled, knighted, created a baronet or appointed a dame uses the corresponding title (Lord, Sir, Dame). [[Physician]]s, on the other hand, when they pass their "[[Membership of the Royal College of Physicians|MRCP(UK)]]" examinations, or equivalent, do not drop ''Dr'' but retain it, even as consultants. The status and rank of consultant surgeons, addressed as "Mister" or "Ms.", and consultant physicians, addressed as "Doctor", is equivalent.