<p>I've been told for all this time that it is...but now I'm reading that it's considered on the same level as a master's degree?</p>
<p>are you serious? MD stands for Medical Doctor. PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. Medical Doctors are always addressed as Dr. So and So. PhD’s often eschew being called Dr…even in a formal classroom situation. </p>
<p>J.D. is a Juris Doctor but its not really considered a “doctorate”…it replaced the old LLB, or Bachelor of Laws degree.</p>
<p>EdD is a Doctor of Education, and normally takes less time than a PhD and is not nearly as prestigious.</p>
<p>D.D.S. is Doctor of Dental Surgery…or Dentist. They are called “Dr. So and So in their offices.”</p>
<p>O.D. is Doctor of Osteopathy, and they are considered Doctors and work side by side with MD’s, or on their own. But their education is in an Osteopathic Medical School.</p>
<p>D.C. is Doctor of Chiripractic, or Chiropractor. Its common to call them “Dr.” in their office, but its a bit of a stretch to equate them with an O.D. or MD. Its more of a service. </p>
<p>People seek degrees for a license or job requirement, not for prestige and being called, “Doctor”.</p>
<p>So…an MD is a doctorate?</p>
<p>The MD is a doctorate, but it is a “professional” doctorate as opposed to a research doctorate like the Ph.D. The JD is also a professional doctorate, as is DDS, DDM, etc. Professional doctorates do not require a dissertation, which is the result of original research. FYI, there are research doctorates in medicine and law-- called Ph.Ds and SJDs, respectively.</p>
<p>And to clarify what Soveigndebt said about the JD—it did replace the LLB degree for the express purpose of recognizing that three years of study post baccalaureate deserved a doctorate. Prior to the 1930’s law schools did not require a bachelors degree (neither did medical schools before the opening of Johns Hopkins Medical School in the 1880’s). By the 1960’s, most law schools replaced the bachelor of laws degree with the Juris Doctor degree. Most countries still don’t require a bachelors degree to study law, so the LLB still exists elsewhere, but not in the US. The research doctorate in law, which used to be called the LLD, is now the Doctor os Juridical Science (SJD).</p>
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<p>The DC degree is four years of graduate-level study, so it’s very appropriate to consider it a true doctoral degree. I agree that it is not on the same refined plane as an OD or MD, simply because the entrance requirements are less stringent and the competition is less. A bachelor’s degree is not strictly required, although most have it.</p>
<p>The same, incidently, is true for another doctoral degree - Doctor of Optometry. It’s a four year graduate-level degree, and most students entering the program have bachelor’s degrees.</p>
<p>Yes and no.</p>
<p>The origin and meaning of doctor was reserved for academia and teachers. Historically, PhDs were the ‘true’ doctors. People who hold professional degrees (e.g. the MD) should only be considered doctors outside of practice. Generally in America, the counterfactual is now assumed by the lay public.</p>
<p>Professional degrees (e.g. the MD) have now subsumed the title “Dr.” even though their practice may not involve a dissemination/teaching of knowledge/research.</p>
<p>Just to clarify:</p>
<p>O.D. = Doctor of Optometry</p>
<p>D.O. = Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine</p>
<p>In the US, at least, the D.O. is equivalent to the M.D. in terms of licensing and medical practice, including the ability to pursue an M.D.–or allopathic–residency after medical school.</p>
<p>Oops! Thanks 45percenter. You are absolutely correct.</p>