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Is it bad to do a PhD because you want to put Dr in front of your name?

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Original post by ch0llima
Someone told me that only medical doctors can call themselves "Dr." in every day life outside of work and academia? Don't know if that's true, but doing a PhD just for the title in any case is definitely not worth it.

Going back to medical doctors... do you think they put themselves through six years of intense training just to give themselves the title? Or do you think it's because they actually want to become doctors?

Same goes for PhD candidates.


Nah, if you have a PhD then you can be Dr. all you like. It's a completely viable title.
Reply 21
Original post by the bear
If you have an MA you can put Master in front of your name

Ian Bates


My cousins have the surname Bates and I have to say its hilarious when I see letters addressed to them under Master Bates..

As for the actual thread, thats just a silly idea. 3yrs of your life to add two little letters to your name?
Reply 22
Make like Gillian McKeith and buy one online.
Original post by ch0llima
Someone told me that only medical doctors can call themselves "Dr." in every day life outside of work and academia? Don't know if that's true, but doing a PhD just for the title in any case is definitely not worth it.


No, if you've earnt the title by doing a PhD, you are just as entitled to style yourself as Dr Whoever as someone who obtained it via an MD. Some argue more entitled, but I can't be bothered to go into that now.
Reply 24
Lol, well some people just do a certain job or go into a certain career for the money so you wouldn't be any different, but I doubt you'd get accepted on to the course if you have that attitude. Even if you don't directly tell people the reason, you'd have to have some interest in what you're doing because it'll show!

It's a lot of work and a hell of a lot of money just for the title too. 3 years on an undergrad degree, 2-3 years work experience, then 3 years for PhD = 9 years.

If you want to do that for the title then go ahead. Either way, although a few letters by your name might be cool, people respect you based on how you present yourself and how you behave anyway :smile:
I call troll, this idea is just too ****ing stupid to be genuine (especially the bit about an IB funding you to do a research project O_o).

Though to give a fair answer to the question, it's a blatantly terrible idea. PhDs are very difficult and exhausting, and unless you're rich you're gonna have severe financial difficulties too and end up having to take on lots of extra work. I'm gonna be honest, most of the PhD students at my uni look like they're having a hellish time.

This not like A-levels/undergrad where you can just scrape through on exams, a PhD is a work of original research!
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by ch0llima
Someone told me that only medical doctors can call themselves "Dr." in every day life outside of work and academia? Don't know if that's true, but doing a PhD just for the title in any case is definitely not worth it.

Going back to medical doctors... do you think they put themselves through six years of intense training just to give themselves the title? Or do you think it's because they actually want to become doctors?

Same goes for PhD candidates.


Nope a Chemistry teacher in my school is known as Dr Morgan.
Reply 27
Original post by Jeester
I'm thinking of doing it for this sole reason.

I am interested in my course but my main reason is I want to be a docter... and I want to put Dr in front of my name so people give me more respect...

It would also be cool to be the first Dr in my family.

____________


Just to say, I want to get in to Investment Banking when I have eventually graduated, do you think BB IBs would fund a PhD or a research project? I could maybe research something for them?


LMFAO.
Sir? :smug:

Lord! :yep:
Original post by thegodofgod
Sir? :smug:

Lord! :yep:


Lord? :giggle:

King!! :woo:
Original post by handsome7654
Lord? :giggle:

King!! :woo:


King :lol:

Emperor :adore:
Reply 31
Original post by thegodofgod
Sir? :smug:

Lord! :yep:


But I can just pay for that one! Just give a "donation" to whichever party is in power. Sorted.
Original post by Jeester
But I can just pay for that one! Just give a "donation" to whichever party is in power. Sorted.


:holmes:

But I thought it's the Queen (reigning monarch) who gives the title - or is it based on a recommendation from the PM? :redface:
Original post by thegodofgod
King :lol:

Emperor :adore:


Emperor? :rofl:

GOD! :angelwings:
It doesn't really matter why you're doing a PhD, but I doubt you'll have the motivation to stick at it if being able to call yourself Dr is the sole reason why you're doing it.
Reply 35
Original post by thegodofgod
:holmes:

But I thought it's the Queen (reigning monarch) who gives the title - or is it based on a recommendation from the PM? :redface:


Sauce

I know it's wikipedia but the basic's of it are correct.
Original post by thegodofgod
:holmes:

But I thought it's the Queen (reigning monarch) who gives the title - or is it based on a recommendation from the PM? :redface:


The government choose who gets knighted or whatever, the Queen has no say in it, she just does the ceremonial bit.
Reply 37
Okay, so it's maybe not the sole reason, I might have over exagerated there. I really want to be published as well and I am genuinly interested in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering and Economics and I want to do a PhD that encompasses all these aspects and if not all then definatly the latter two.
Original post by handsome7654
Emperor? :rofl:

GOD! :angelwings:


Thegodofgod (cf. my username :colone:)

:adore:
Original post by funsongfactory
The government choose who gets knighted or whatever, the Queen has no say in it, she just does the ceremonial bit.


So just like everything else then - the Queen just sits there and looks pretty :tongue:

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