REAL doctors?

[TPROrgoTutor]

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Does it HONESTLY upset people that the very intelligent people that earn PhD's in thier repsective fields term themselves as doctors? They are exactly that. We will be known as medical doctors, they are doctors of philosophy in their field. Doctor is a level of education in a field, but it has been adopted as shorthand for medical doctor. PLEASE find something better to get upset or annoyed about and do not go criticizing somebody who has expertise in thier field far superior to expertise you may have in any field.

Most of my family has PhD degrees, a couple MD's... I would be insulted if somebody deemed it inappropriate to term them Dr. --------, either the MD's or Phd's...

 

[Kuba]

I would argue that MD's maybe don't deserve to be called doctor... since they are not earning a "real" doctorate. Maybe only people that do extensive research in their highly specialized field (PhD) and defend a thesis should be called doctors... and medical doctors be termed only physicians.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

In all fairness, even physicians doing a physical exam are going to ask their fair share of things like: does it hurt here? How about here? or
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out...
Or, tell me when you can feel/hear/see this. How about now? Now?

But also to be fair the vast majority of physicians do more than this, while the vast majority of optometrists spend their days refracting people as above.

 

[Haemulon]

Well, I have a phd and am almost done with medical school. For me I found that the physics and chem gre's (I took them both) were more difficult than the mcat. The physics and chem exams required higher level of coursework knowledge than they did for the mcat. The mcat required knowledge of lower division, INTRO level science courses. The subject gre's covered MUCH MORE than INTRO level coursework.

The mcat was certainly no cakewalk. It wasn't an easy exam. But, I still say that the physical science gre's were more challenging.

Yeh, for me the physics and chem GRE's would have been much harder (I'm not as good at PS as one can tell from my poor performance on that MCAT section). I took the Bio GRE and did not have trouble (actually scored comparatively lower on the MCAT BS section then I did on the subject GRE ... just going by percentile ranking). I agree that the subject tests may cover higher level coursework, just think it is offset by the fact that those taking the subject tests have the additional coursework and training to be competant with that more advanced material, which would balance it out. MCAT focuses more on breadth of information, GRE subject more on depth.

I still agree with your other posts. I guess we have to agree to disagree on this issue.

No worries. Just curious, are you planning on applying your physical sciences PhD in a med specialty like radiology? Or are you interested in other areas?

 

[neurodoc]

Chiropractors are licensed as "CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS" in most states. It is not ILLEGAL for chiropractors to use the title "PHYSICIAN" in these states.

Maybe it is in "these states," and I'm not sure which ones they are. But it is ILLEGAL here in California.

Nick

 

[Vizsla]

remember that episode of "King of the Hill" where Peggy and a bunch of other people got their Doctorates for like $999...

someone said: We need a doctor
fake Ph.D.: I'm a doctor.

that's pretty much where I got the idea for this thread.

I love that one hahaha...

 

[21JumpStreet]

Yeh, for me the physics and chem GRE's would have been much harder (I'm not as good at PS as one can tell from my poor performance on that MCAT section). I took the Bio GRE and did not have trouble (actually scored comparatively lower on the MCAT BS section then I did on the subject GRE ... just going by percentile ranking). I agree that the subject tests may cover higher level coursework, just think it is offset by the fact that those taking the subject tests have the additional coursework and training to be competant with that more advanced material, which would balance it out. MCAT focuses more on breadth of information, GRE subject more on depth.



No worries. Just curious, are you planning on applying your physical sciences PhD in a med specialty like radiology? Or are you interested in other areas?

Yes, I agree. They are both just different types of exams; they are challenging in different ways.

As far as career goes, I'm actually tired of the physical sciences. I just don't find any of that interesting anymore. This might be a big surprise: I am actually interested in psychiatry. I would like to do both therapy and medication management.

What field of medicine are you interested in?

 

[Haemulon]

Yes, I agree. They are both just different types of exams; they are challenging in different ways.

As far as career goes, I'm actually tired of the physical sciences. I just don't find any of that interesting anymore. This might be a big surprise: I am actually interested in psychiatry. I would like to do both therapy and medication management.

What field of medicine are you interested in?

I'm interested in something heavily diagnostic, a specialty that brings together lots of different fields. Definitely internal medicine would be a good fit, but lately I have been getting more and more excited by Neurology. Just fits with my personality really well. Hey, we may be referring to eachother, you in Psych and me in Neuro. 👍 (I have also considered Radiology, but physics is just not my strong point. Also thought about path ... but not sure I want to spend quite so much time in the lab and at the scope).

 

[8744]

I'd pit your average veterinary school graduate vs. your average medical school graduate in a clinical knowledge and skills battle to the death any day. At least at my school, the veterinary students work way harder and are far more competent than the medical students at graduation. Most of them have at least a few cases in which they're the primary, unassisted, surgeon by the time they finish.

My veterinarian (whose children I am putting through college by virtue having five dogs) said to me once that she was sure "I didn't think she was a real doctor" to which I replied that the only reason I went to medical school was because I wasn't smart enough to get into vet school.

It is a lot harder to get into vet school, the classes are more difficult, and they kick people out whereas in medical school you have to practically murder somebody to be asked to leave.

 

[611]

You have got to be kidding.

 

[21JumpStreet]

I'm interested in something heavily diagnostic, a specialty that brings together lots of different fields. Definitely internal medicine would be a good fit, but lately I have been getting more and more excited by Neurology. Just fits with my personality really well. Hey, we may be referring to eachother, you in Psych and me in Neuro. 👍 (I have also considered Radiology, but physics is just not my strong point. Also thought about path ... but not sure I want to spend quite so much time in the lab and at the scope).

Hi,

If Radiology really interests you, don't give up on it. Just continue to do well in school and do well on your usmle exams. As for doing well in a Radiology residency, I would say to not worry about Physics. Medical school will prepare you well enough for a Radiology residency.

Yeah, Neurology and Psychiatry are so closely related that I think we would be referring to each other.👍

What was your specialty in Biology? Are you also interested in doing research?

I just think that if you really want Radiology, you should just go for it.

 

[8744]

You have got to be kidding.

No. Check it out. Not only are there fewer vet schools but they have more applicants for each spot. Plus you really have to be dedicated to be a vet as they don't generally make as muc miney as MDs, the avewrage salary being in the 70K range.

 

[Cirrus83]

M.D.'s are more important to society anyway. You don't need a Ph.D. in Math like you need a Diagnostic Radiologist/Oncologist/etc.

Err...I'm going to disagree with this, because without those PhD's in science and math you couldn't even be a Radiologist or an Oncologist today, lol.

Seriously do you think every frickin' advancement in society has come from MDs or something?!?!

BTW the nitwits who don't think PhD's are doctors should go and refer to all their profs as Ms. and Mr. and see what happens when it comes time to get a recommendation lol.

 

[zxcv1234]

does this mean that all of my professors are fake doctors?

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

lol

 

[Old ortho]

There are two types of doctors:

1. Those with a doctorate degree such as Ph. D.

2. Those medical professionals who are licensed to perform surgery, prescibe drugs, and give medical advice. That include physicians, dentists, vets, D.O.

I am not sure about optometrists, chiropractors etc

 

[notdeadyet]

2. Those medical professionals who are licensed to perform surgery, prescibe drugs, and give medical advice. That include physicians, dentists, vets, D.O.

D.O.'s are physicians. Just pointing this out.

 

[spicedmanna]

Meaning of the word, "doctor":

c.1303, "Church father," from O.Fr. doctour, from M.L. doctor "religious teacher, adviser, scholar," from L. doctor "teacher," from doct- stem of docere "to show, teach," originally "make to appear right," causative of decere "be seemly, fitting" (see decent). Familiar form doc first recorded c.1850. Meaning of "holder of highest degree in university" is first found c.1375; that of "medical professional" dates from 1377, though this was not common till late 16c. Verb sense of "alter, disguise, falsify" is first recorded 1774.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=d&p=14

 

[con188]

i think we all agree that any one with a doctorate degree deserves to be called a doctor. but i think the real question is how we rate the importance/status/prestige of each kind of doctor. so i propose the same mechanism that is used by usnews: primary care and research. here are my takes.

Primary care:
MD
vet
dentist
podiatrist/optometrist/and etc
PhD

Research:
MD and PhD
vet
dentist
podiatrist/optometrist/and etc

 

[kdburton]

lol...seriously though. A Chiropractor or an Optometrist couldn't pull up to an accident scene claiming to be a "doctor" could they?

I wonder if they do it to pick up chicks at the bar though...

random floosey: "so what do you do?"
phd in literature: "I'm a doctor.."
random floosey: [flips her hair] "oh really?! what kind?"
phd in literature: "you know... ancient Aztec hyrogliphography"

i dont know if the last word is even a word haha

 

[RadMD1day]

I'm gonna do a M.D./Ph.D. program... then I'm gonna make all you address me as "Double Doctor" Depakote.

Well if you can succeed in doing that, I want to be addressed as
Pre-Dr.RadMD1day