I wonder if there are HIPAA issues involved with calling out your last name in a crowded waiting room. I don’t know.
I’m an NP, I always call my patient’s Mr or Ms lastname, I have them call me by my first name. In the waiting room the desk staff calls the pts by their first name,
I think when H is telling patients to push, it’s hard to focus on formalities. Anyway, at that point, he gets called plenty of things that don’t bear any relation to either his first or last name 
But does he INVITE patients to call him by his first name? If not, I wonder if he knows that some patients harbor resentments against him for it!
Don’t get me started on the “doctor’s only” parking at the front of the building! Most businesses reserve the best parking for their customers!
Okay. No more. I promise.
20 years in the military…I address women of all ages as ma’am. To me it’s a sign of respect, and not a function of age. I’ve never worried or wondered whether I was offending them or not, since all I can control is my intent in using the term. Hopefully the microaggression police won’t come after me. [-X
It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess. Even after all these years, I still notice it, and it still makes me happy, every time I’m called Ma’am or Miss – it doesn’t matter which. I’m not sure I’ll ever take it for granted.
If it’s a regularly packed parking lot, and the doctors are expected to drive between offices or to and from local hospitals, I’d actually rather them be able to park in time to see me for my appointment than begrudge them the perk.
“Don’t get me started on the “doctor’s only” parking at the front of the building! Most businesses reserve the best parking for their customers!”
No doctors-only parking at his office building, but I think there is expectant-mother-only parking. I don’t know if that’s official through the village or just a gimmick.
Of course there’s doctors-only parking at the hospital. When he peels off at 2:30 am because a woman came in pushing (we live 2 minutes away, by design) you don’t exactly want him circling the block! They get free cafeteria food too. Oh the perks! Lol
I just wanted to resurrect this thread since I was recently in Nashville. Two things occurred that made me think of this:
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I was visiting my friend and her 4 yo grandson. Now, I’m perfectly fine with children addressing me by my first name, but figured I’d be better off going more formal, so I said, “Hi [his name]; I’m Mrs. Lastname.” My friend (who grew up in the north but has lived south for 20 years) laughed and said, “I told him you were Miss Firstname.” So I said “Miss Firstname it is!” and re-introduced myself that way. I really didn’t think twice; I got the purpose that it was serving.
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While “yes, ma’am” is still very foreign to my northern ears (especially if delivered with a northern accent!), I have to say, we had an absolutely ADORABLE twenty-something waiter at dinner, and he delivered “yes, ma’am” in such a sweet way I was ready to wrap him up and take him home :-). It was charming, not bothersome.
My children were raised to address adults/older persons as “Ma’am” or “Sir.” “Miss” or “Mr.” followed by first name was reserved for close family friends. Of course, this is trumped if the person to whom they are speaking asks to be addressed differently.
Probably a central point in all of this—it often isn’t the words themselves, it’s the linguistic (and social) matrix in which they’re delivered.
Just saying: new college students might want to start practicing announcing their pronouns. Ditto for parents at orientations. It’s a trend.
The one usage I was ready to slap a service person was “young lady”. Yea, the thirty something waiter asked me “and for you, young lady”. I’m clearly his mother’s age. How about looking me in the eye and asking “and what would you like?” My 14 year old niece is a young lady. I’m not. Calling someone older than you “young lady” is demeaning. Do they call men " young man" if they don’t know their marital statis even if the customer is clearly older?
Okay…I was okay with Miss or Ma’am…but “young lady” ?! I’m with you on that one.
Our dentist hired a new dental school grad… When she addressed me as “sweetie” while examining my teeth, I wanted to say something about proper salutation… unfortunately, for obvious reasons I could not. Had to keep my mouth widely open. But I am absolutely going to write an email to her boss!
Back when my daughters were teens they attended my husband’s church. I invited his youth group to go on a mission trip with my church’s group - his idea of hell on earth so he didn’t come along. The teens from his church were with the other chaperon in his car, and got on the walkie talkie to our car - one of them said, “Ask Mrs. (Last name) when we should pull over for supper”. One of my youth members asked “Who is Mrs.(Last name)?” They only knew me as Pastor (First name) and had no clue what my last name even was.
About half of the members of the church I now serve call me Pastor (First or Last name). It’s probably a good thing because it reminds me that I do have to act a bit differently in front of parish members than I do with friends. It doesn’t so much mean that I deserve more respect, but I do have to be careful (tend to tell off color jokes or cuss sometimes which would not be appropriate coming from their pastor).
“Probably a central point in all of this—it often isn’t the words themselves, it’s the linguistic (and social) matrix in which they’re delivered.”
Ha! So I’m back up north and just ran an errand where the cashier bagged my things as we were exchanging pleasantries and said, “Have a nice day, miss.” I’m home, I tell you
“I’m clearly over forty (won’t say how far over;-)) I have gray/silver hair and a wedding ring on my finger but the bar tender keeps calling me MISS” - over forty - you are sooo young, by all the means!