[garciasn]

Isn’t this sort of how all terminal degrees work? MDs, JDs, etc are all putting the candidates through the wringer, for relatively low wages, until they’re “experienced”. I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s common knowledge it’s the way things work if you want to have those magic letters of a terminal degree next to your name in your email signature.

Don’t want to deal with the machinations required? Opt for the masters track or just get an Undergraduate degree and spend 20y working your way up.

[jwagenet]

In the US, phds and professional degrees are more or less geared toward students who are comfortable enough financially to stomach the opportunity cost of 6-10+ years of additional education, unpaid or underpaid residencies and internships, and long apprenticeship hours (which prevent backfilling financial gaps) before making “real” income.

[MikeTheGreat]

Can I ask why this is getting downvoted?

Most of the other comments are basically saying this ("the pay is too low for too long for not enough reward").

Anecdotally: I'm teaching a course in "How To Be Successful In College" (not it's real name) at the US community college where I teach Computer Science. I've got more than 1 student who are going to get a credential for nursing because there's just no way they can spend 8-10 years in school to become a doctor.

Would they be good doctors? The question is moot because it's never gonna happen.

[underlipton]

I don't know that people even care, at that. The way most are forced to interact with the healthcare system, a doctor is just a nurse in a white coat who's also a bit of an asshole (aloof and/or smarmy). Especially when they misdiagnose or miss a diagnoses.

[9x39]

>a doctor is just a nurse in a white coat

plus 10-15k hours of school, residency, etc give-or-take. Let's give credit where it's due.

[underlipton]

>The way most are forced to interact with the healthcare system

If you have an advanced CS degree, and I come to you with a complex issue concerning my desktop, and you spend 15 minutes filling out a digital intake form, 2 minutes tapping the tower, and finally tell me to power cycle whenever it comes up, I have every right to call you no better than a Geek Squad agent.

Let's be less pompous and let conduct speak for itself. If you're a skilled and highly-trained professional, demonstrate it. No credit for phoning it in, no credit for limiting your level of consideration and attentiveness to what a nurse is capable of. You're not owed prestige.

[underlipton]

*diagnosis

I can never tell if I'm pissing off [professionals] or third-parties invested in the idea of [profession] not being dysfunctional.

Best medical system in the world, except for all the others.

[xhevahir]

JD isn't a terminal degree. There's two higher degrees I think.

MDs and JDs are professional professional qualifications, which makes their situation a bit different from purely academic degrees. For example the ABA acts kind of like a cartel.

I don't think I disagree with you, by the way. I'm just more unhappy about it. All of these sclerotic, even corrupt, institutions acting like aging vats for talented youth, all to exclude newcomers and to maintain hierarchies...they're not ideal.

[garciasn]

A JD is most definitely a terminal degree.

If you need a source; here is one: https://fulbrightscholars.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/US...

[Retric]

That’s arguable.

“LL.M. programs are usually only open to those students who have first obtained a degree in law, typically an LL.B. or J.D.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Laws

It’s generally for people who want to hyper focus on one area of law or switch countries.

[frmersdog]

That's strange, I was just asking Claude to write a motion for me earlier, and I've never even taken the LSAT.

[ohyoutravel]

Masters in Law so you can…pontificate about the law?

[nomadygnt]

Yes, but I think as time goes on, fewer and fewer people are going to consider those letters next to their name worth it for the years that they need to invest. So, I am just saying that if MIT or whoever else is worried about having fewer grad students (not saying that they/we should be), then maybe it's time to change how it works.