医者 or 先生？Which title is appropriate?


医者 or 先生？Which is the correct term to address my doctor? I actually received
many different responses from chatting with Japanese. Is there a preferred
term?




先生 is used as a way of address when speaking directly to the individual or
when referring to the individual in communication with others. 医者 is the
actual profession of "physician" or more colloquial "doctor" and might be used
when speaking out of context.

> 昨日は医者に診てもらった (Yesterday I went to the doctor)

said in context to someone who didn't know the speaker had a health issue.

Compare with:

> 先週川口先生に診てもらった佐藤ですが… (My name is Satō, and I saw Dr. Kawaguchi last week...)

said in the context of the speaker addressing the reception staff at the
hospital.

I hope this demonstrates the difference in usage. Generally the cases in which
you would use 医者、医者さん、or お医者さん is when asking if someone is a physician.
Speaking to others at the hospital or the physician directly you should use
先生. However, I find that in some Japanese hospitals it's expected that you
don't speak unless being spoken too so you probably can manage without using
先生 though it is good to know in case the nurses tell you to wait for the
doctor.

Besides the well-known usage for teachers, 先生 is also used to address other
figures of higher learning or respect, lawyers, politicians, etc.




先生 is used as a way of address when speaking directly to the individual or
when referring to the individual in communication with others. 医者 is the
actual profession of "physician" or more colloquial "doctor" and might be used
when speaking out of context.

> 昨日は医者に診てもらった (Yesterday I went to the doctor)

said in context to someone who didn't know the speaker had a health issue.

Compare with:

> 先週川口先生に診てもらった佐藤ですが… (My name is Satō, and I saw Dr. Kawaguchi last week...)

said in the context of the speaker addressing the reception staff at the
hospital.

I hope this demonstrates the difference in usage. Generally the cases in which
you would use 医者、医者さん、or お医者さん is when asking if someone is a physician.
Speaking to others at the hospital or the physician directly you should use
先生. However, I find that in some Japanese hospitals it's expected that you
don't speak unless being spoken too so you probably can manage without using
先生 though it is good to know in case the nurses tell you to wait for the
doctor.

Besides the well-known usage for teachers, 先生 is also used to address other
figures of higher learning or respect, lawyers, politicians, etc.

