Titular Issues!

[Flying mermaid]

I really didn't mean to kick off a thread like this with my ramblings on what to call my adult kids However this does remind me of an arguement between the two oldest ones. Master FM was starting a Phd (Maths/IT) and Dr FM was starting a post grad medical degree. They were having pretty much the same arguement as to who was going to be the "real" doctor, until I pointed out how immature they were being.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Over 100 posts ! There has been a lot of heat in some of the posts ! I wonder if it would have got to that total if it was as I suggested a thread on coughies and bras

 

[OATEK]

Over 100 posts ! There has been a lot of heat in some of the posts ! I wonder if it would have got to that total if it was as I suggested a thread on coughies and bras

Only one way to find out

 

[vetrade]

I have a lot of doctors in my immediate family - nearly all of the medical variety (including a couple of specialists, with another in training). Plus I have several friends with PhDs.
One advantage is that you can usually get both a first and second opinion from around the dinner table!
We aren't too precious at all regarding titles/honourifics, either in private or professionally, so first names suffice and the use of "Dr" is predominately restricted to stationery!
FWIW, as a general observation though, I would say that the medicos, during both their education and also after graduation, have a workload that is far more onerous than any of the PhDs I know.

 

[Vic]

If you do a 3 year undergrad degree then 4 years medicine you now graduate with an MD.
I am "only" an MBBS (maybe should put my Hons) with 6 years medical degree + 5 years postgrad training.7 years-pfft.

But an amusing anecdote.20 years ago a newly graduated nurse in her first week on the job came up to me and told me how I should treat a patient.The suggestion probably would have killed the patient.When I politely told her I would not be following her advice she told me she had done 3 years of University training so knew as much as doctors.I politely,again, told her that I had done 11 years training so knew nearly 4 times as much as her and walked away.

Is the question the length of time required to get to a point when you're called Doctor? 6 years versus at least 7 years. In terms of effort the PhD would seem to take more effort to be called Doc. Those PhDs also have to put in a lot of postdoctoral training, study research and effort to progress up the food chain beyond a research assistant living or dying on annual grant applications.

I'm sure we could debate the comparative quality or value of the information gained. But it's a bit of different question to getting to the point of being called Doc.

See which is easier to get into.....6 full time years to get a basic medical degree followed by one year internship, followed by 6 further full time years for specialist training...oh I have a Masters post grad degree as well. I decided not to do a PhD as it was not neccesary as well for me to get a job (now it will be!)....anyway, as I have said previously, call me Mr on the plane and let the FAs hassle all the PhD Drs

I thought the difficulty was passing rather than just getting into the course.

General comment:
Maybe I'm a bit concerned about the idea that one bit of knowledge (that has required hard work to obtain) is superior to another bit of knowledge (that has required hard work to obtain). I know plenty of highly skilled and knowledgeable people who can do stuff you'd never ask of a MD, that is valuable even if they can't cut out a spleen.
People earn their titulars, is respect too much to ask? Apparently for some with an opinion, but most people are reasonable.

 

[JohnK]

Over 100 posts ! There has been a lot of heat in some of the posts ! I wonder if it would have got to that total if it was as I suggested a thread on coughies and bras

Ah, a topic close to everyone's heart.

 

[jb747]

Title is clickbait....

 

[Forg]

Is an American PhD the same level as an Australian one? I only ask because I've heard it said the US one is more on par with a Masters. The company I used to work for had sales reps and technical officer equivalents in the US with PhDs which seemed a bit of an overqualification. I wouldn't have called these guys academics but, credit to them, they were more qualified than me!

USA is USA.
Average standard of education at any level is lower.
For the keen &/or the rich, the possible standard of education is probably highest in the world.

 

[straitman]

Title is clickbait....

Nothing else to say really :!:

 

[GarrettM]

Over 100 posts ! There has been a lot of heat in some of the posts ! I wonder if it would have got to that total if it was as I suggested a thread on coughies and bras

Nobody is a bigger fan of coughies than I, but we have the whole world wide web for them. Let's keep this a cough free zone.