Since I was a young intern in the last century, I learned to call everyone Mr. or Ms. Nowadays I even call people who could be my children like that.
Doutor (doctor) is a commonly used title for physicians. But lawyers and nurses can be called that too, even if they haven’t completed their Doctorate.
It is a sign of respect to be called by that title. But in popular language, the one spoken by common people in everyday life, doctor can be used to refer to a friend or even a restaurant customer, for example. It’s something very informal, I think it’s an irony with the hierarchy of Brazilian society.
Attempts to belittle people during the pandemic also took place here. Especially when some people began to gain prominence in the media guiding people on how they should behave, clashing with the government’s wishes.
I used Mr. when referring to Dr. Fauci out of habit. I completely forgot that I could call him Dr.
