Letter: Real doctors have PhDs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Roger Dobson's article "Doctors all around, but few philosophers" (14 December) reports on the increasing number of doctors who have been awarded the title Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), as opposed to medical practitioners. This has, apparently, led to problems of ambiguity, and there have even been suggestions from within the medical profession that the title be reserved for medical practitioners alone.
An academic doctorate is awarded on the basis of a substantial piece of original research. Medical practitioners are called doctor in the absence of holding a doctorate. There is an argument that for a university to award the degree of doctor to those who have demonstrated no substantial research competence is a misuse, indeed an abuse, of its privileges.
Medical practitioners may well need to rethink their titles if they wish to maintain their self-elevated image of scholastic achievement in society but they should not do so at the expense of those who have obtained the title of doctor legitimately.
Name and address withheld
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments