IDK, I prefer MT to any of these other "scientist" titles people keep trying to push. Pedantics, IMO. Credentials on the badges don't matter. That's just letters on a bit of plastic that nobody even looks at. What's a "badge backer"?

The only time I've had somebody not treat me like a professional is when they themselves are not being professionals.

I don't see how any of what you suggest actually helps in any way other than providing an ego boost to some, and a headache to others.

Not saying we don't need to improve the field, but I don't agree with your direction at all. I feel our best first step is to do a better job of exhibiting our contributions to healthcare to the general public. As an example, nurses are doing well because they're out there in public view, and most adults at least know that they exist. What happens during nurses week? Banners and huge support from EVERYBODY. Saying you dislike a nurse in public is akin to saying you dislike a soldier. Lab week? What's that?

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that 90% of high school students didn't even know who performs the tests the doctors ordered, but a similar percentage would know that nurses existed. I feel that would be a good first step - gaining popular recognition outside the healthcare environment. Then we can use that support to push ourselves forward.

Maybe next lab week, instead of complaining about how we're not getting as great gifts from inside the department as we did last year, or ask for better pay that we know we won't get, we subtly expand our horizons and ask for something that seems cheap and easy at first - more public recognition from the organizations at which we work. If we can get ourselves that public backing, we could potentially use that to put more pressure on those above us than we could on our own.

It'd be a long road, but I don't think any quick fix exists.