PhD = real doctor?

ramirez · 21 Mar 2007 at 08:29

Arcade Fire said:
D.Phil is what the University of Oxford calls a Ph.D, because they can't stand to be the same as everyone else.

ah I see, yeah he went to Jesus and then Wolfson.

M0KUJ1N · 21 Mar 2007 at 09:22

DB_SamX said:
Not necessarily, my friend Andrew is doing a PhD in lasers or something in ECS at Soton, and it only lasts 3 years. He will have the title or doctor at 25/26 I think. 6 years maybe if you include the first 3 undergrad years.

Engineering Doctorate, which I was being tempted into as well, is 4 years only - it is written in the prospectus in front of me. Gives you the title of doctor too.

Sorry I should have been more specific- yes those figures include both undergraduate and postgraduate education.

aardvark · 21 Mar 2007 at 09:53

i'm afraid its true - i have a PhD and that makes me a doctor - my 'doctor' doesn't have a PhD in medicine and that means that her title is simply one of tradition, rather than fact.
you can do a PhD in medicine but they are rare (these days).

doctors were only called doctors because they did a PhD in their subject - now thats changed and they do a specialist degree(an MD) - but if they don't do a PhD then they are not a doctor.

Homeslice · 21 Mar 2007 at 09:59

I dont see the point in people who go out of their way to earn a title 'Doctor'. It makes no sense to me unless they are in the medical profession. These people then often demand that people call them Dr.Smith or whatever. What a bunch of pretencious n0bs!

I have a mate who was determined to do his doctorate. He failed miserably but his hopes aren't dashed. For the same cost of his waste of education he could have bought himself a 'doctor' title.

Kol · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:02

Homeslice said:
I dont see the point in people who go out of their way to earn a title 'Doctor'. It makes no sense to me unless they are in the medical profession. These people then often demand that people call them Dr.Smith or whatever. What a bunch of pretencious n0bs!

I have a mate who was determined to do his doctorate. He failed miserably but his hopes aren't dashed. For the same cost of his waste of education he could have bought himself a 'doctor' title.

Knowledge? That's why people do them. People don't do exclusively for the title. It's a pretty narrow minded view if that's why you believe people do PhDs.

Homeslice · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:04

Mikol said:
Knowledge? That's why people do them. People don't do exclusively for the title. It's a pretty narrow minded view if that's why you believe people do PhDs.

You could quite easily have the same amount of knowledge without being called a Dr at the end of it though.

aardvark · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:04

i didn't do it so people would have to call me Dr, i did it for the qualification and the knowledge gained - because of that qualification i am no longer a Mr but a Dr - its just one of those things.

Homeslice · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:05

Which is fine, but my friend just wanted it for the title really and it seems that all those I've met appear to have had the same motive which is sad.

aardvark · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:06

Homeslice said:
You could quite easily have the same amount of knowledge without being called a Dr at the end of it though.

the title comes with the knowledge/degree - there is nothing you can do about that.

aardvark · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:07

Homeslice said:
Which is fine, but my friend just wanted it for the title really and it seems that all those I've met appear to have had the same motive which is sad.

then your friend is a jerk - i know just as many Dr jerks and professor jerks as i do Mr and Mrs/miss jerks.

Homeslice · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:08

aardvark said:
then your friend is a jerk - i know just as many Dr jerks and professor jerks as i do Mr and Mrs/miss jerks.

Quoted for truth

OpenToSuggestions · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:21

fus said:
Not a real subject? Quite short-sighted and ignorant of you. Out of interest, what are you a doctor of, as you can judge other people?

not really. she couldnt get a job in it cos its such a useless subject. I look up at doctors of physics/chemistry/maths/engineering/GP doctors etc as they give something useful to the world.
how can I be a doctor im 18 :confused:

Nix · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:25

Since when did Doctor become anything other then someone who is learned in a particular field?

So what if one is tradition and one is fact, at the end of the day they know their stuff and they've earned the right to be called whatever they want.

Slight tangent: Professorships are awarded when a Doctor takes on a managerial role doesn't it?

Also, isn't there an extra qualification for post PhD. I recall there being something if someone has contributed significantly to their field of interest.

gjrc · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:26

why do Dr. who become surgeons go back to being Mr?

Nix · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:27

gjrc said:
why do Dr. who become surgeons go back to being Mr?

Again in English. If you're trying to ask what I assume you are; read the thread.

Pug · 21 Mar 2007 at 10:28

aardvark said:
you can do a PhD in medicine but they are rare (these days).

its actually becoming increasingly common.

Doing a PhD myself (last few months of writing up - hurrah!) and we have medics and surgeons (better than describing them as "doctors" imo) working with us all the time. Previously they'd study to do an MSc as part of their medical/sugical career to gain an advantage.

Now however a lot are switching to PhDs instead, within their surgical career. So its becoming a bit more common to have medics/surgeons having a PhD before becoming registrars (below a consultant level)

Kol · 21 Mar 2007 at 11:02

gjrc said:
why do Dr. who become surgeons go back to being Mr?

Must have been covered about 3 times in this thread already

As Pug said, what the OP considers a Doctor I call Medics or physicians. My mate is a medic, having just finished his MbChB and he calls himself a medic.

gjrc · 21 Mar 2007 at 11:07

Mikol said:
Must have been covered about 3 times in this thread already

As Pug said, what the OP considers a Doctor I call Medics or physicians. My mate is a medic, having just finished his MbChB and he calls himself a medic.

oh could not be bothered to read it all.... maybe i should

IceBus · 21 Mar 2007 at 11:13

If you hold a doctorate you are a Doctor, however not a doctor. For those who seem so down on PhDs, try doing a two year research doctorate before you equate it to a hill of beans.

As for why people take on PhDs, from speaking to a lot of them it's because they want to achieve the highest level of understanding and study for their given subject - something which imo is pretty admirable.

As for psychology being a useless subject, what's the point of fixing the body if the mind is in huge neurochemical imbalance?

Samtheman1k · 21 Mar 2007 at 11:23

Homeslice said:
You could quite easily have the same amount of knowledge without being called a Dr at the end of it though.

So then I take it you don't agree with undergraduate degrees either then because they allow you to put BSC/BA after your name...? Afterall, you can get the same amount of knowledge without doing an official undergraduate degree...