UK vs US, Education Compared

"
Doctor" is a word that literally means "teacher" - someone qualified to teach their area of knowledge. Not necessarily medicine. The use became frequent in the early Universities back in Medieval days, where it first became an academic rank.

However, physicians were called by various titles in different languages. e.g fisiceach in old Irish. Ireland has a history of physician training that goes back to pre-Christian days, when each qualified doctor was required to be training no less than four students at any one time. Hospitals also go back to pre-Christian times. the founding date of the first, somewhat obscured by myth, is held to be 393, BCE. I believe the original Irish word is an-speadal.

Getting back to Doctors, there are the Church Doctors of the Roman Catholic Church - most of whom were learned people who had little or nothing to do with medicine. Recent additions are John of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen, added by Pope Benedict XVI in 2016. St. Hildegard is one of my favourite figures of early German literature. Like all early German writers - before about 1200 CE - she wrote her works in Latin. She was also an accomplished music composer, whose music is still played today. A highly cerebral and also imaginative and creative lady. Not your average nun. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen

Many kinds of Doctors graduate from Universities today. It was the same centuries ago, as well.

 

Sorry. The date was Oct 7, 2012.

 

Another interesting example of an early non-medical Doctor, called "Doctor Mirabilis" - "Wonderful Teacher." English Philosopher Roger Bacon, ca. 1220 - ca 1292 - here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bacon

 

Not so much anymore, but I used to deal with a lot of lawyers. In my experience, those who insist the J.D. is a “real doctorate” are usually pompous asses, and go into vapor lock when asked “Then why are there TWO higher law degrees if the J.D. is a doctorate?”

 

Many students in US can do their gen ed classes (and lower-level major classes) in high school as well, through Dual Enrollment (or AP, or IB, or AICE). My 14-year-old Eagle Scout is registering for her first college course this summer, as a rising Sophomore.

 

Regarding the JD as a doctorate, context is key.

The term "doctor" can have an academic source and a professional source.

The JD is a first professional doctorate*. However, in the professional setting, attorneys are not called "doctor."

In academia, the JD is treated equally with other doctorates. It is not, for example, necessary to hold a "higher" law doctorate in order to be appointed as a professor, gain tenure, etc. The JD does just fine for that. And it isn't uncommon for such professors to be called "doctor" in that setting, because they are.

(*This is not to be confused with a professional doctorate, which is an academic doctorate with a contribution to practice, not scholarship.)

 

I know that AP and the like exist, Stanislav, and I think they're great programs. One question. Do they cost extra? In the Brit or Euro systems , the "gen ed." portion that doesn't have to be repeated in University is done at publicly-funded high school. "You Pays yer taxes and yer kids git their schoolin', " Does this apply also to US advance college study? Or are there tuition fees? Just curious. No axe to grind.

 

I guess depends on the state, or even district. In Florida, the state pushes acceleration mechanisms pretty hard, and they don't cost extra. Every school district has to offer at least something out of the diet of DE, AP, IB or AICE; every state college has to give access to dually enrolled students, and all costs are covered (even book rental). At our high school, that's AP and DE. For Grade 10, we're trying to take AP Psych, College Algebra, and College Composition. Computer literacy and Intro Spanish I for Summer.
P. S. I believe there was a fee for DE classes in Texas. APs are high school classes, so they're covered; not sure about testing - didn't get to that point.

 

Good info. Thanks.