# List of athletes with advanced degrees

This is a list of athletes with advanced degrees (PhDs and other degrees at that academic level). Honorary degrees are excluded.

## Research doctorate

| Athlete | Degree | Field | Institution | Known for |
| Billy Arnold | PhD | | MIAT College of Technology | Racecar driver and champion of the 1930 Indianapolis 500 |
| Dave Baldwin | PhD | Genetics | University of Arizona | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Travis Dorsch | PhD | Sports and Exercise Psychology | Purdue University | National Football League punter, triathlon professor at Utah State University |
| Katherine Grainger | PhD | Law | King's College London | British former rower and current Chair of UK Sport. Summer Olympics gold and silver medallist as well World champion. |
| Hayley Haining | PhD | Veterinary Medicine | University of Glasgow | British Marathon Runner who competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games |
| Gail Hopkins | PhD | Biology | Illinois Institute of Technology | Major League Baseball player |
| Tom House | PhD | Sports psychology | United States International University | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Charlotte Hym | PhD | Cognitive neuroscience and Psychology | Paris Descartes University | French street skateboarder competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics |
| Charley Johnson | PhD | Chemical Engineering | Washington University in St. Louis | NFL quarterback for the St. Louis Cardinals and Denver Broncos |
| Anna Kiesenhofer | PhD | Applied mathematics | Polytechnic University of Catalonia | 2020 Olympic champion in the women's individual cycling road race |
| Vitali Klitschko | PhD | Sports science | Kyiv University | World champion boxer and Ukrainian politician |
| Wladimir Klitschko | PhD | Sports science | Kyiv University | World champion heavyweight boxer |
| Steve Korcheck | EdD | Education | George Washington University | Major League Baseball player |
| Lise Leveille | PhD | Neuroscience | University of British Columbia | French Canadian gymnast represented at the 2000 Olympic Games. |
| Fletcher Low | PhD | Chemistry | Columbia University | Major League Baseball player, Dartmouth College professor, New Hampshire legislator |
| Mike Marshall | PhD | Kinesiology or exercise physiology | Michigan State University | Cy Young Award-winning Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Morris Mott | PhD | Sports history | Queen's University at Kingston | National Hockey League player |
| Shaquille O'Neal | EdD | Education | Barry University | National Basketball Association player |
| Emma Pooley | PhD | Geotechnical engineering | ETH Zurich | World Champion and Olympic medal-winning cyclist and triathlete |
| Frank Ryan | PhD | Mathematics | Rice University | National Football League quarterback |
| Ted Savage | PhD | Urban studies | Saint Louis University | Major League Baseball player |
| Wally Snell | PhD | Botany | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Major League Baseball catcher; Brown University professor and Athletic Director |
| Naoto Tobe | PhD | Sports science | University of Tsukuba | Japanese high jumper |
| Tai Tzu-ying | PhD | Sports science | University of Taipei | 2020 Summer Olympic medal-winning badminton player and three-time Asian badminton champion |
| John Urschel | PhD | Applied mathematics | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | National Football League guard and center |
| Deng Yaping | PhD | Land Economy | University of Cambridge | Chinese table tennis player, who won eighteen world championships including four Olympic championships, and regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of this sport |
| Mikhail Youzhny | PhD | Philosophy | Moscow State University | Tennis player |
| Hugues Fabrice Zango | PhD | Electrical engineering | University of Artois | World champion and Olympic medalist, Burkinabé triple and long jumper |
| Tom Osborne | PhD | Educational psychology | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | College football player, hall of fame coach, and former politician. |

## Medical degree

In many countries, the first medical degree is the MBBS (with MD being reserved for higher doctorates), yet holders of this degree are addressed as "doctor" while practising.
| Athlete | Degree | Field | Institution | Known for |
| Jack Allen | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Pete Allen | MD | Medicine | College of Philadelphia Department of Medicine | Major League Baseball player, professor at Jefferson Medical College |
| Steve Arlin | DDS | Dental surgery | Ohio State University College of Dentistry | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Mark Baldwin | MD | Medicine | Baltimore Medical College | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Roger Bannister | MD | Medicine, Neurology | Exeter College, Oxford | Olympic middle-distance runner, first person to break the 4 minute mile |
| Walter Bernhardt | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Bobby Brown | MD | Medicine | Tulane University School of Medicine | Major League Baseball third baseman and president of the American League |
| Lou Bruce | DDS | Dental surgery | Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery | Major League Baseball player, Mohawk activist |
| David Bruton | DPT | Physical therapy | University of Colorado School of Medicine | National Football League safety |
| Doc Bushong | DDS | Dental surgery | Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery | Major League Baseball catcher, possible inventor of the catcher's mitt, namesake of Bushong, Kansas |
| Billy Cannon | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Tennessee College of Dentistry | National Football League player and Heisman Trophy winner |
| Doc Carroll | DMD | Dental medicine | Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball catcher |
| Tommy Casanova | MD | Medicine | University of Cincinnati College of Medicine | National Football League player |
| Elise Chabbey | MD | Medicine | | Professional racing cyclist |
| Jack Darragh | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Terry Dischinger | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Tennessee College of Dentistry | National Basketball Association All-Star |
| Kevin Draxinger | MD | Medicine | University of British Columbia | Canadian backstroke swimmer at the 1992 Summer Olympics |
| Laurent Duvernay-Tardif | MDCM | Medicine | McGill University Faculty of Medicine | National Football League guard, Super Bowl champion |
| Doc Farrell | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball infielder |
| Simon Fraser | DO | Medicine | Ohio University Heritage School of Medicine | National Football League defensive end |
| Moonlight Graham | MD | Medicine | Baltimore Medical College | Major League Baseball player whose life story was featured in the 1989 film Field of Dreams |
| Randy Gregg | MD | Medicine | University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry | National Hockey League player |
| Tom Gunning | MD | Medicine | University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Mark Hamilton | MD | Medicine | Zucker School of Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Eric Heiden | MD | Medicine | Stanford University School of Medicine | American long track speed skater and five-time gold medalist at the Winter Olympics. Regarded as most successful Winter Olympian and one of 50 greatest athletes of the 20th century. |
| Gail Hopkins | MD | Medicine | Rush Medical College | Major League Baseball player |
| Les Horvath | DDS | Dental surgery | Ohio State University College of Dentistry | National Football League player and Heisman Trophy winner |
| Nate Hughes | MD | Medicine | University of Mississippi Medical Center | National Football League wide receiver |
| Doc Imlay | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Jumping Jack Jones | DDS | Dental surgery | Harvard Dental School | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Jumping Jack Jones | MD | Medicine | Yale Medical School | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Ryan Kohlmeier | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Dentistry | Major League Baseball player |
| Lise Leveille | MD | Medicine | Queen's University at Kingston | French Canadian gymnast represented at the 2000 Olympic Games. |
| Jim Lonborg | DMD | Dental medicine | Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | Cy Young Award-winning Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Joel Makovicka | DPT | Physical therapy | Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions | National Football League player |
| Justin Maxwell | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Maryland School of Dentistry | Major League Baseball outfielder |
| Doc McMahon | DMD | Dental medicine | Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Doc Medich | MD | Medicine | University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Bill Mlkvy | DMD | Dental medicine | Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry | National Basketball Association player |
| Bill McColl | MD | Medicine, neurosurgery | Pritzker School of Medicine | National Football League player, missionary, father of Milt McColl |
| Milt McColl | MD | Medicine | Stanford University School of Medicine | National Football League player, son of Bill McColl |
| Nadia Nadim | MD | Medicine | Aarhus University | National Women's Soccer League and Denmark Women's National Football Team player |
| Jack Nichols | DMD | Dental medicine | Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | National Basketball Association player |
| Rich Nye | DVM | Veterinary medicine | University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Dip Orange | MD | Medicine | Meharry Medical College | Negro National League baseball player |
| Charlie Pechous | MD | Medicine | Stritch School of Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Arlie Pond | MD | Medicine | University of Vermont College of Medicine | Major League Baseball player |
| Bob Poser | MD | Medicine | University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health | Major League Baseball player |
| Myron Rolle | MD | Medicine | Florida State University College of Medicine | National Football League safety, Rhodes Scholar |
| Frank Sexton | MD | Medicine | University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Harvey Smith | MD | Medicine | University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Genevra Stone | MD | Medicine | Tufts University School of Medicine | Olympic rower |
| Ad Swigler | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania Dental School | Major League Baseball player |
| Ron Taylor | MD | Medicine | University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Henry Thielman | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Jenny Thompson | MD | Medicine | Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons | Olympic swimmer |
| Will Thompson | DDS | Dental surgery | University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Doc White | DDS | Dental surgery | Georgetown University School of Dentistry | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Walt Whittaker | DMD | Dental medicine | Tufts University School of Dental Medicine | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Haley Wickenheiser | MD | Medicine | University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine | Canadian Olympic ice hockey gold medal player and team captain, considered among the greatest female ice hockey players of all time, then a physician |

## Other professional doctorates

In some countries, the Juris Doctor is the standard professional degree required to practice law, although the holder is usually not addressed as "doctor".
| Athlete | Degree | Field | Institution | Known for |
| Terry Baker | JD | Law | USC Gould School of Law | National Football League quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner |
| Cliff Brantley | JD | Law | Rutgers Law School | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Bill Bray | JD | Law | William & Mary Law School | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Nick Buoniconti | JD | Law | Suffolk University Law School | National Football League linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer |
| Chris Carr | JD | Law | George Washington University Law School | National Football League cornerback and kick returner |
| Donn Clendenon | JD | Law | Duquesne University School of Law | Major League Baseball player and 1969 World Series MVP |
| Cris Collinsworth | JD | Law | University of Cincinnati School of Law | Sportscaster and former National Football League wide receiver |
| Ben Hayes | JD | Law | University of Florida College of Law | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Jarett Dillard | JD | Law | South Texas College of Law | National Football League wide receiver |
| Len Elmore | JD | Law | Harvard Law School | National Basketball Association player |
| Joe Hietpas | JD | Law | Washington University School of Law | Major League Baseball catcher |
| Billy Hunter | JD | Law | UC Berkeley School of Law | National Football League wide receiver, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association |
| Tony La Russa | JD | Law | Florida State University College of Law | Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame manager |
| Ed Lynch | JD | Law | University of Miami School of Law | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Martin Mayhew | JD | Law | Georgetown University Law Center | National Football League player and executive |
| Jim McFarland | JD | Law | Cornell Law School | National Football League player, member of the Nebraska Legislature |
| Gerry Meehan | JD | Law | University at Buffalo Law School | National Hockey League player and executive |
| Alan Page | JD | Law | University of Minnesota Law School | National Football League player, member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court |
| Bill Perkins | JD | Law | Seton Hall University School of Law | National Football League player |
| Billy Rohr | JD | Law | Western State College of Law | Major League Baseball pitcher |
| Robert R. Thomas | JD | Law | Loyola University Chicago School of Law | National Football League player, Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court |
| Byron White | JD | Law | Yale Law School | National Football League player, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States |
| Dwayne Woodruff | JD | Law | Duquesne University School of Law | National Football League player, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania judge |
| Steve Young | JD | Law | J. Reuben Clark Law School | National Football League quarterback, member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame |

## Incomplete or revoked doctorates

| Person | Degree | Field | Institution | Known for | Notes |
| Nadine Apetz | PhD | Neuroscience | University Hospital Cologne | German amateur boxer | Studying as of 2016 |
| Pau Gasol | MD | Medicine | University of Barcelona | Professional basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague | Dropped out |
| Hadia Hosny | PhD | Pharmacology | Cairo University | Egyptian Olympic badminton player | Studying as of 2015 |
| Hui Ruoqi | PhD | Physical education | Nanjing Normal University | Chinese volleyball player | Studying as of 2017 |
| Pál Schmitt | PhD | Physical education | Semmelweis University | Hungarian Olympic fencer and politician | Revoked |
| Louise Shanahan | PhD | Quantum physics | Cambridge University | Irish Olympic athlete | Studying as of 2019 |
| Chris Spence | EdD | Education | University of Toronto | Canadian Football League player | Revoked |
| Shao Ting | PhD | Education | Beijing Normal University | Chinese basketball player for the Beijing Great Wall and the Chinese national team | Studying as of 2019 |
| Veronica Toro Arana | MD | Medicine | Stanford University School of Medicine | Puerto Rican Olympic rower | Studying as of 2016 |
| Sun Yang | PhD | Kinesiology | Shanghai University of Sport | Chinese Olympic and world-record-holding competitive swimmer. | Studying as of 2018 |