Titles and Credentials

Faculty and physicians

Georgette A. Dent, MD

In letters or stories, after first reference as name, MD, it’s fine to refer to physicians as “Dr. Jennette” or “Dr. Fowler” etc.

Separate multiple credentials with commas: Lindsay Wilson, MD, MPH

Medical students, residents and fellows

For med students, indicate what year they’ll finish / graduate, ie, Class of 2023

sometimes in signatures you’ll see students use MD Candidate, Class of 2023

Per Mary Liz, use “MD Candidate” only if it’s needed for clarity. Use the full year (ie, Class of 2023) for med students vs. Class of ’23, since alum status is usually represented by just the two digits. ie, Cristy Page, MD ’02.

For residents, use their credentials and can add PGY-1, PGY-2, (for Post Graduate Year X) etc if you need to indicate what residency year they’re in.

Hagar Elgendy, MD, MS
PGY-2, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Fellows don’t have the same PGY credential as above, so just use MD (and anything else such as MPH, etc).

Medical Alumni

Martha Sharpless, MD ’59

Uppercase vs. lowercase for titles

AP style calls for titles to be lowercase if they are informal, appear without a person’s name, follow a person’s name or are set off before a name by commas.

“She is director of the Complex Skin Cancer Center.” or ” … said Center director, Carrie Lee, MD.”

Todd Cohen, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neurology, is creating a healthier and more hopeful future for patients and families living with Alzheimer’s.