There continues to be chagrin about who’s entitled to be called “Doctor”, largely because of First Lady Jill Biden’s use of the honorific. Some say only medical doctors can be called “Doctor”; some say that doctorates other a Ph.D., such as an Ed.D., are not “real” doctorates. However, many outside the medical profession are regularly and consistently addressed as “Doctor”, including the hard and social sciences, so the medical professional argument doesn’t hold.
I hold an Ed.D. My doctorate, like a Ph.D., is a EARNED degree; I had to complete 60 credits above my Master’s work, including researching, writing, and defending a dissertation of scholarly quality. What people think or what their opinion is isn’t of concern.
Here are some realities detractors might not want to hear:
1. I graduated amongst Ph.D.s, and D.B.A.s at the same ceremony and I wore similar regalia; I was not differentiated as somehow “different” or inferior.
2. My doctorate is recognized worldwide as such, even in countries that don’t offer the degree.
3. Within the U.S., I am qualified to teach at the university level at licensed and regionally-accredited institutions (some European countries require the “docent”, which is a faculty granted in addition to a doctorate signaling one’s competency to teach).
4. I am qualified to be a dissertation chair or committee member (even for the degree of Ph.D.), and to attend the defense of my own candidate or any other candidate for the doctorate in my discipline, pose questions to the candidate (even if not my student), and to sign off on dissertations as fit for inclusion to the canon of scholarly literature.
5. In addition to holding a faculty to instruct, I am qualified to hold executive academic positions such as dean, provost, or president of a college or university.
So, my gut instinct is that people ignore these conventions not because of ignorance, but perhaps they are jealous that maybe they tried to pursue a doctorate, and didn’t have the skill or discipline to see it through. That’s not the problem of those of us who were successful, and that’s something they’ll have to work through, not us.