I really wish they would just get rid of the PhD. Keep the Master's degree. Have a hard series of tests, that if a person passed, they would get, I don't know, maybe a "Certified Master in Whatever."?

The test would be difficult--maybe like the CA bar, NY bar? Harder!

It would save a lot of money.

It would save a lot confusion about a person's abilities. Right now, I look at a fresh, young PhD with a lot of skeptism. Actually, I just fiqure it's a rich kid who wanted to stay in school. If the PhD is gotten later in life, and the thesis is a actually original, I admire the extra effort.

Why did I bring this up. Some of the worst Instructors, and insufferable people have come across have been PhD's. And in pretty much every field the Master's degreed candidate knows just as much as the PhD, and you put them in a room, and the there's a lot of laughter over the the whole Dr. thing.

Plus, I'm tired of calling someone a Doctor who isn't a MD. Actually these days, with extreme specialization; lets get rid of Dr.? In my world, a Doctor who didn't specialize is an experienced nurse, or PA.

I had a girlfriend whom killed so many animals for her thesis. Literally hundreds. She would tell me these stories in bed--until I told her "Enough--I just don't want to know." It's was all to get that title. She wanted that title so bad.

Did you know in the the bio sciences, after some wannabe researcher tests his/her drug/procedure on an animal, the animal is bashed over the head, so when the pathology/histology/whatever is performed---the brain/tissue is not contaminated in any way? They couldn't even use CO2, or Helium to kill the animal. At the time the students were going to lab using tunnels around the school, so they would have to look at the protestors--at least that's what she told me. She told me she felt empowered killing the animals at the time. Why--because the reward would be great. Being called a Dr! I never quite looked at her the same way after these forced conversations. I would wake up in that cold, damp, marina apartment, with all her goth artwork hanging around the bed; and sometimes I thought she was a actually a witch. She worked very hard at the whole witch thing at the time. All that doesn't matter.

I was just astonished at the cruelty that went on in those labs, all so the students could get that PhD. I once asked her about the "original research" that goes on. She laughed hysterically. I was so wrong she pointed out. She then caught herself, and said "Well, maybe someone was doing something original?"

Well, after the money ran out, and the realization she was no scientist, she moved to San Francisco and partied through the late 90's/2000's. She is now stuck with a lot of debt.

She is also a vegan. Well, she's not quite a vegan. She eats Salmon for her dry hair. Not quite a vegan? And yes, I got an earful, when I brought that up. I was just tired of her telling everyone, "I'm a vegan!" She further told people she was a PhD. I knew, and she knew, but wanted that title so bad, even when she didn't get it she would tell people she was a PhD. The funny thing is she isn't crazy. She actually gets paid pretty well, but thankfully, not in her field of study, with her magical PhD.

She was beautiful though. I remember thinking, why am I with her? I didn't think I was a shallow person. I guess I am.