Which is correct: "Drs. Ha and Smith's comments" or "Drs. Ha's and Smith's comments" (referring to the comments of both drs.)
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If both doctors jointly issued a single set of comments, then only the last name needs a possessive apostrophe and letter s: Drs. Ha and Smith's comments. If each doctor made separate comments, then each name needs to be in the possessive form: Drs. Ha's and Smith's comments.
Michael Harvey
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It might also sound less awkward if the Dr. were kept in front of each name. – Jason Bassford Jun 30 '18 at 15:35
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If each doctor independently had comments, The easiest way to be correct would be as mentioned briefly above, to separate the two Doctors completely. Dr. Ha's and Dr. Smith's comments .... The word "comments" in this case without the rest of the sentence, I am using it as a singular noun representative of each Dr.'s total contradiction.
I also believe it could be written Dr.s' Ha and Smith comments.... The period would be placed after the "r" to abbrieviate Doctor. The "s" after the "." would indicate more than one or plural. When you place the apostrophe on the outside of the “s” indicates plural posessive for both Doctors.
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@tchrist that can be rather confusing. One could think (depending on what follows) you were talking about a doctorandus (he who should become doctor) rather than multiple doctors. – JJJ Jun 04 '19 at 22:25
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@JJJ Not half so confusing as the abbreviation we use for the plural of mister. :) – tchrist Jun 05 '19 at 03:03
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@tchrist *messr(s)? If you're alluding to the use of Mrs.* to mean misters then I'd agree that can be confusing (and wrong?). – JJJ Jun 05 '19 at 03:41