HARDEST:

10. Juris Doctorate: this one could go either way. A J.D. at some institutions is extremely easy, thus their low pass rate on the bar.

9. Doctor of Pharmacy: PharmDs are legit chemists and medical practitioners. No, not the pharmacists behind the counter at Walmart but the ones in hospitals.

8. Doctor of Optometry: these guys mastered light, lenses and refraction. I always struggled with that in physics, so I will give you a place up here. Just don't pretend to be an ophthalmologist -- those guys are in another league from you.

7. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine: There has to be a lot to know if you're treating many types of animals none of which can tell you what's wrong with them. At the same time, it seemed every time we brought in Rex for an illness, they just threw some antibiotics at him without much exploration.

6. Doctor of Podiatric Medicine: not "real" doctors, but one of these guys really helped with a bunion I had. That takes some smarts, right?

5. Ph.D. Math: the greatest mathematicians are also great theologians. I cannot imagine the creativity it takes to come up with a thesis topic for math. The best I could do is "The Top 10 Ways the Pythagorean Theorem Influences the 21st Century."

4. Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy: I was on track to get my Ph.D. in philosophy, focusing on the interplay of Kierkegaard and Kant. But alas, I was not smart enough. My classmates were far smarter than I.

3. Doctor of Philosophy in Religion: the old designation was Th.D., but most institutions have transferred to the Ph.D. The most brilliant people I have ever met had a Ph.D. in religion from respectable institutions.

2. Boarded Doctor of Osteopathy: residency is residency. Sure, you didn't have the MCAT to get into medical school, but at least you weren't prideful enough to go to a Caribbean school.

1. Boarded Medical Doctor: there's a reason medical and osteopathic doctors are the only doctors who deserve to be called doctor outside academic institutions. 3-6 years of residency after eight years of higher education in the most competitive field has earned you that right.

EASIEST:

10. Doctor of Dental Medicine: Nurse practictioners, physical therapists, pharmacists, and chiropractors get called out when they refer to themselves as doctors. Why not the dentists? Four years without residency puts these "doctors" in a similar boat as the above.

9. Doctor of Recreation: Mostly an online program, I feel that if you read my posts, you have done more than a graduate in this field.

8. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine: like chiropractor school, if you have an undergraduate degree and money, you're in.

7. Doctor of Physical Education: what is this? You're going for the top P.E. teacher position at Phillips Exeter? I remember hearing someone mention this degree a few years ago and was baffled by it. I've never met anyone who is a D.P.E., and perhaps it's legitimate, but at face value it makes me chuckle.

6. Doctor of Education: this is a real grab bag. I've met some brilliant Ed.D. holders and some that I didn't think would pass BARB 120 - Shaving, Mustaches, and Beards at Delgado.

5. Doctor of Social Work: social workers are some of the hardest working and least appreciated people on this planet. Nonetheless, getting a doctorate in social work isn't academically rigorous. What is the purpose of the doctorate beyond that of the master's?

4. Doctor of Ministry: if your pastor has one of these and insists on being called Dr., please call him out. It's not a terminal degree nor does it involve academic rigor. It's purely a professional degree for the insecure needing another title.

3. Ph.D. Sociology: The upper echelon who is teaching at Ivy League schools is brilliant, but the run of the mill sociologist has less insight into sociology than I do.

2. Ph.D. Psychology: The percentage of psychology Ph.D.s who do meaningful work? Some of the most frivolous and wasteful research in the world is done for psychology thesis work.

1. Chiropractor: is this really much more than a glamorous associate's degree?

This post was edited on 11/22/19 at 6:22 am