Doctor (title)

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doctor is an academic degree, awarded by a university or similar institution. "Doctor" may be used to refer to a person with a doctorate.

To get the degree, people need to pass a doctorate exam, or write a thesis or dissertation. The requirements vary according to the subject-matter.

There are three levels of university qualification:

Depending on the country, there are cases where people get what is called a professional doctorate. This is mostly the case in law, and in medicine. A professional doctorate is comparable to a master's degree.

People who have a doctor's degree may use the title "doctor", though in practice it is often used only by medical doctors. Medical doctors examine, diagnose and treat patients. They can specialize in a number of medical areas, such as pediatrics, anesthesiology or cardiology, or they can work as general practice physicians. Becoming a medical doctor requires a doctoral degree in medicine and participating in clinical training. Medical doctors need a licence, and certification may also be required for many specialists.

  • Universities may award doctorates to people who have done a lot in their fields of study: these are called honorary doctorates. There is no set rule for this. These may be abbreviated "Doctor h.c." (for "honoris causa").