Becoming a doctor is no easy feat, and we all make an effort to show our respect for such an important profession by addressing doctors according to their correct title.
But what happens when you are addressing two doctors in the same email?
In this article, we’ll show you some alternative ways to write a salutation when you are addressing multiple doctors at once. So, read on!
How to Address Two Doctors With Different Last Names
When addressing two doctors in one email, how you go about stating their names in your salutation may depend on the nature of their relationship with each other.
For instance, the salutation Dear Dr. X and Dr. Y works well if the two doctors have no relation to each other, other than in a professional capacity.
However, this salutation is also appropriate when you want to address two doctors who are married to each other but have different last names.
So, let’s see a professional email sample that includes this introduction:
Dear Dr. Morton and Dr. Jones,
I have attached the patient’s history below, as requested.
Sincerely,
Dr. Harvey Dent
If the two doctors are married, and you are emailing them in a social capacity, you can address them the same way as above to show respect to each of their names and titles.
So, let’s see a non-professional example where the recipients are married:
Dear Dr. Cox and Dr. Monroe,
Please join Allison Bree and Heather Colman as they celebrate their wedding on June 14th.
We would appreciate your R.S.V.P. before the 10th of May for catering purposes.
Yours truly,
The Brides
Another way to address two doctors with different surnames is to simply write Dear Drs. X and Y. This phrase is more concise, so it’s often preferred in a work-related email to save time.
Therefore, let’s see an email example making use of this phrase:
Dear Drs. Smith and Gerard,
Upon further inspection, the injury could have been caused at the patient’s workplace.
Regards,
Patience Dean
However, although this salutation doesn’t necessarily mean that the recipients are married, it’s perfectly suitable to use when they are a married couple as well.
How to Address Two Doctors With the Same Last Name
There are a couple of situations where you might be addressing two doctors with the same last name.
On the one hand, they may have no relation to each other, and their shared surnames are a mere coincidence.
Alternatively, they may be married to each other, and both happen to practice medicine.
In either situation, it would be suitable to write Dear Dr. X and Dr. X in your salutation. This is the safest option since it addresses them both respectfully by their titles.
Have a look at how you could use this phrase in a letter to a household where two doctors live, for example:
Dear Dr. Idowu and Dr. Idowu,
Your renewed licenses are enclosed herein.
Please return your expired licenses using the envelope enclosed.
Sincerely,
Councilor Kevin Lloyd
You may feel as though repeating the name and titles, as we’ve done above, looks a bit silly. Fret not! Another way to address two doctors with the same surname is to simply write Dear Drs. X and X.
This phrase flows a bit better than the one above. Therefore, it is a good choice for a busy work setting in which getting to the point is preferred.
Let’s see it in an example:
Dear Drs. Kirk and Kirk,
Please consider the report enclosed.
Sincerely,
Dr. Fatima Deshmukh
If the doctors are married and share the same last name, you can shorten your salutation further by saying Dear Drs. X.
As the recipients are a couple, they likely won’t mind being addressed together in this way, especially when you are sending an invitation to a social occasion.
For example:
Dear Drs. Jones,
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Jasmine Wren and Liam Point.
The details are enclosed herein.
Regards,
Maxwell Wren (Best Man)
How to Address Three Doctors With Different Last Names
Things can get tricky when you are addressing three doctors with different last names. However, you can essentially apply the same rules as you would when addressing only two.
Therefore, you can write out each name and title in your salutation by saying Dear Dr. X, Dr. Y, and Dr. Z.
This option may feel a tad long and tedious. However, it has the benefit of addressing each doctor individually and respectfully. This makes it ideal for a work-related email.
Let’s see an email sample that includes this salutation:
Dear Dr. Osborne, Dr. Hetfield, and Dr. Russel,
I have attached the patient’s medical history below.
Regards,
Dr. Janine Loom
Alternatively, you can use the title “Drs.” once, followed by each of their names. This is a more concise way to address multiple doctors, so you may prefer it if you are in a rush.
For instance:
Dear Drs. Isley, Nigma, and Napier,
Please see the scans attached below.
Regards,
Dr. Roy Brenner
How to Address Three Doctors With the Same Last Name
In the unlikely event that you are addressing three doctors with the same last name, you can use the same rules that you would if two doctors were married.
If the doctors are not related in any way but happen to work at the same hospital, you can address them by setting out each of their names and titles.
It may look a bit silly, but at least it is clear that you are addressing all three of them!
For example:
- Dear Dr. Mosely, Dr. Mosely, and Dr. Mosely
Alternatively, you can use just one title but write out all three surnames, like so:
- Dear Drs. Mosely, Mosely, and Mosely
If all three doctors are related to each other and live at the same address, they may be comfortable with you addressing all three of them together. For example, perhaps a career in medicine just runs in the family, so both parents and their child use this title.
When issuing an invitation or letter of a social nature to this household full of doctors, you could use the salutation Dear the Drs. X.
To see what we mean, check out the example below:
Dear the Drs. Nkosi,
You are cordially invited to the union between Martha Burns and Benjamin Gordon.
Please see the details enclosed.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Burns (mother of the bride)
How to Address a Doctor and Their Spouse With Different Last Names
Perhaps you are sending a letter or email to a doctor and their spouse for a social reason. Therefore, you might be wondering how to properly address two recipients with different last names and different titles.
For example, a doctor may be married to someone who is not a doctor and goes by “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” or “Ms.” Moreover, the other person may have a different surname despite the fact that they are married.
The best way to set out your salutation in such a situation is to simply write Dear Dr. X and Mr./Mrs./Ms. Y. This shows respect for the title of one spouse without erasing the autonomy of the other.
To see what we mean, have a look at the example wedding invitation below:
Dear Dr. Liesel and Mr. Forrest,
Gregory Lambert and Shahid Abadi have invited you to celebrate their wedding on August 25th.
Please R.S.V.P. before September 10th.
Yours sincerely,
Cole Lambert (father of the groom)
It’s also perfectly okay to start with the non-doctor spouse, like so:
- Dear Ms. Mkize and Dr. Clark
How to Address a Doctor and Their Spouse With the Same Last Name
Now, let’s imagine that your recipients are married and have the same surname. However, only one of them is a doctor.
In this situation, you can follow the same rules as above and address them with the salutation Dear Dr. X and Mr./Mrs./Ms. Y. Or, you can start with the title of the non-doctor spouse.
Check out the following email examples:
Dear Dr. Fieldman and Mrs. Fieldman,
Please see your tax calculation statement attached below.
Regards,
Carl Shorthouse
Dear Ms. Joel and Dr. Joel,
We thank you for your generous donation to Children’s Hope.
Sincerely,
Cathleen Webber
If you want to shorten your salutation, you can simply write Dear Dr. and Mrs/Mr./Ms. X. This salutation will make it quite clear that you are addressing a married couple with different job titles.
See the email sample below:
Dear Dr. and Mrs. Carraway,
You are cordially invited to the end-of-year Heath Association Gala, taking place on the 10th of June.
Regards,
Kane Bishop, Director of Events
