Understanding Doctorate Degrees: A Clear Guide

Posted on October 18, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Is the Doctor – In?

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

INFO-GRAPHIC

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What Is a Doctorate Degree?

Doctorate, or doctoral, is an umbrella term for many degrees — PhD among them — at the height of the academic ladder. Doctorate degrees fall under two categories, and here is where the confusion often lies. 

The first category, Research (also referred to as Academic) includes, among others:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
  • Doctor of Education (EdD)
  • Doctor of Theology (ThD) 

The second category, Applied (also referred to as Professional) includes, among others:

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
  • Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
  • Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
  • Doctor of Optometry (OD)
  • Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
  • Juris Doctor (JD) 

As you can see, applied doctorates are generally paired with very specific careers – medical doctors, podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, psychologists, and law professionals. 

When it comes to outlining the differences between a PhD and doctorate, the real question should be, “What is the difference between a PhD and an applied doctorate?” The answer, again, can be found in the program outcomes. The online Doctor of Psychology at UAGC, for example, lists outcomes that are heavily focused on the ability to put theory into practice in a professional setting. For example: 

  • Apply best practices in the field regarding professional values, ethics, attitudes, and behaviors
  • Exhibit culturally diverse standards in working professionally with individuals, groups, and communities who represent various cultural and personal backgrounds
  • Utilize a comprehensive psychology knowledge base grounded in theoretical models, evidence-based methods, and research in the discipline
  • Integrate leadership skills appropriate in the field of psychology
  • Critically evaluate applied psychology research methods, trends, and concepts

Bottom line: As the PhD is more academic, research-focused, and heavy on theory, an applied doctorate degree is intended to master a subject in both theory and practice. 

Can a PhD Be Called a Doctor?

The debate over whether a PhD graduate should be called a doctor has existed for decades, and if you’re a member of this exclusive club, you’ll no doubt hear both sides of the argument during your lifetime. After all, if a PhD is a doctor, can a person with a doctoral degree in music – the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) – be called a doctor as well?

Those in favor argue that having “Dr.” attached to your name indicates that you are an expert and should be held in higher regard. For some, the debate is at the heart of modern gender disparity. For example, on social media and in some academic circles, there is an argument that female PhD holders should use the “Dr.” title in order to reject the notion that women are less worthy of adding the title to their name once they have earned a doctoral degree.

The American Psychological Association has, for years, challenged the Associated Press (AP) and other news outlets to broaden its use of “Dr.” beyond those that practice medicine – MDs, podiatrists, dentists, etc. – in its reporting. However, the organization was rebuked, as the AP argued that, “It comes down to a basic distinction. Psychologists earn PhDs, and AP style allows the ‘Dr.’ title only for those with medical degrees.”

The AP has, thus far, refused to change their style guide when it comes to the “doctor question.” 

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BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS: Top 10 Tips for Medical Professionals

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Beneficiary designations can provide a relatively easy way to transfer an account or insurance policy upon your death. However, if you’re not careful, missing or outdated beneficiary designations can easily cause your estate plan to go awry.

Where you can find them

Here’s a sampling of where you’ll find beneficiary designations:

  • Employer-sponsored retirement plans [401(k), 403(b), etc.]
  • IRAs
  • Life insurance policies
  • Annuities
  • Transfer-on-death (TOD) investment accounts
  • Pay-on-death (POD) bank accounts
  • Stock options and restricted stock
  • Executive deferred compensation plans
  • In several states, so-called “lady bird” deeds for real estate

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10 tips about beneficiary designations

Because beneficiary designations are so important, keep these things in mind in your estate planning:

  1. Remember to name beneficiaries. If you don’t name a beneficiary, one of the following could occur:
    • The account or policy may have to go through probate. This process often results in unnecessary delays, additional costs, and unfavorable income tax treatment.
    • The agreement that controls the account or policy may provide for “default” beneficiaries. This could be helpful, but it’s possible the default beneficiaries may not be whom you intended.
  2. Name both primary and contingent beneficiaries. It’s a good practice to name a “back up” or contingent beneficiary in case the primary beneficiary dies before you. Depending on your situation, you may have only a primary beneficiary. In that case, consider whether it may make sense to name a charity (or charities) as the contingent beneficiary.
  3. Update for life events. Review your beneficiary designations regularly and update them as needed based on major life events, such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces.
  4. Read the instructions. Beneficiary designation forms are not all alike. Don’t just fill in names — be sure to read the form carefully. If necessary, you can draft your own customized beneficiary designation, but you should do this only with the guidance of an experienced attorney or tax advisor.
  5. Coordinate with your will and trust. Whenever you change your will or trust, be sure to talk with your attorney about your beneficiary designations. Because these designations operate independently of your other estate planning documents, it’s important to understand how the different parts of your plan work as a whole.
  6. Think twice before naming individual beneficiaries for particular assets. For example, you may establish three accounts of equal value initially and name a different child as beneficiary of each account. Over the years, the accounts may grow or be depleted unevenly, so the three children end up receiving different amounts — which is not what you originally intended.
  7. Avoid naming your estate as beneficiary. If you designate a beneficiary on your 401(k), for example, it won’t have to go through probate court to be distributed to the beneficiary. If you name your estate as beneficiary, the account will have to go through probate. For IRAs and qualified retirement plans, there may also be unfavorable income tax consequences.
  8. Use caution when naming a trust as beneficiary. Consult your attorney or CPA before naming a trust as beneficiary for IRAs, qualified retirement plans, or annuities. There are situations where it makes sense to name a trust — for example if:
    • Your beneficiaries are minor children
    • You’re in a second marriage
    • You want to control access to funds
  9. Be aware of tax consequences. Many assets that transfer by beneficiary designation come with special tax consequences. It’s helpful to work with an experienced tax advisor to help provide planning ideas for your particular situation.
  10. Use disclaimers when necessary — but be careful. Sometimes a beneficiary may actually want to decline (disclaim) assets on which they’re designated as beneficiary. Keep in mind that disclaimers involve complex legal and tax issues and require careful consultation with your attorney and CPA.

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LEGAL: Expert Witness Defined

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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What exactly is an Expert Witness?

At D.E. Marcinko & Associates an “expert witness” possesses specialized knowledge in a particular field and is qualified to provide deposition or testimony in court and under oath. This testimony can be based on their personal experience, education, training and/or research. The role of an expert witness is to provide objective and unbiased opinions, analysis, and insights to help a lawyer, judge and/or jury understand technical or complex issues related to the case.

EDUCATION: Books

An expert witness can be called by either the prosecution or the defense in a legal case. The expert witness may be required to provide a written report or affidavit detailing their opinions, analyses and conclusions, and they may be asked to testify in court to provide oral testimony and answer questions from the judge and lawyers.

MORE: https://marcinkoassociates.com/expert-witness/

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INHERITANCE: Disclaimers

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

DEFINITION

“Show Me the Money”

By Staff Reporters

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In some situations, an inheritance might complicate an estate and add to the estate tax burden.  If there are sufficient assets and income to accomplish financial goals, more assets are not needed. A disclaimer may be useful.  This is an unqualified refusal to accept a gift or inheritance, that is, when you “just say no”.  You have decided not to accept a sizable gift made under a will, trust or other document. 

When you disclaim the property, certain requirements must be met:

  • The disclaimer must be irrevocable;
  • The refusal must be in writing;
  • The refusal must be received within nine months;
  • You must not have accepted any interest in the property; and
  • As a result of the refusal, the property will pass to someone else.

The property passes under the terms of the decedents will, as if you had predeceased the decedent. If the filer of the disclaimer has control, the property will be included in the disclaimant’s estate and can only be passed to another as a gift for as an inheritance. The intent of the disclaimer is to renounce and never take control of the property.

EDUCATION: Books

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EDUCATION: Niche Specific, Timely, Online, Asynchronous and Affordable

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

For Financial Advisors & Financial Planners, CPAs, CFPs, CFAs, Stock-Brokers, Insurance Agents, Attorneys, Wealth Managers and Related Advisors!

By Staff Reporters

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FINANCIAL EDUCATION PODCAST: CMPs™ are In … Are CPAs Out?

CERTIFIED MEDICAL PLANNER™: Education for Financial Planners to Thrive with Doctor Clients!

MICRO-CERTIFICATIONS: Education for Financial Advisors Seeking Physician-Client Prospecting Success?

e-BOOKS: For Doctors, Financial Advisors, CPAs, Insurance Agents, Medical Consultants and Health Law Attorneys

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CONTACT: Ann Miller RN MHA CMP

Email: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

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LEGAL: Pro Hac Vice Defined

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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Pro hac vice is Law Latin that means “for this time [only]” (literally, “for this turn”). When a lawyer is admitted to a case pro hac vice, a court has granted them a limited license to practice in a jurisdiction where they otherwise would not be licensed to do so.

For example, a lawyer licensed only to practice in California may nonetheless practice in a New York case once a court has granted them admission pro hac vice, so long as the lawyer practices only within the limited scope of their pro hac vice admission. In almost all U.S. jurisdictions, lawyers who practice pro hac vice must do so in conjunction with a local lawyer acting as local counsel. Local counsel typically acts as an anchor to the bar of a foreign jurisdiction, exposing local counsel to liability for the acts or omissions of the lawyer admitted pro hac vice. Local counsel therefore usually assumes, at a minimum, a role of monitoring the lawyer admitted pro hac vice.

READ: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/pro_hac_vice

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Inviting Patients to Read Their Doctors’ Notes

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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OVER HEARD IN THE DOCTOR’S LOUNGE

DEM white shirt

By Dr. David E. Marcinko MBA CMP™

In an OpenNotes study, researchers examined the impact on patients and doctors when patients were allowed access to their doctors’ notes via a secure Internet portal.

Through the use of surveys, patients’ benefits, concerns, and behaviors, as well as physicians workload, were measured.

The Study

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Geisinger Health System (GHS) in Pennsylvania, and Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in Seattle were selected for this quasi-experimental year-long study.

The study included 105 physicians and 13,564 of their patients. Patients were notified when their notes were available, but whether or not to open the note was at their own discretion. The authors analyzed both pre- and post-intervention surveys from the physicians who completed the study; 99 physicians submitted both pre- and post-intervention surveys. Of the patients who viewed at least one note, 41 percent completed post-intervention surveys.

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Physician Executive

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Almost 99 percent of patients at BIDMC, GHS, and HMC wanted to have continued access to their visit notes at the completion of the study; no physician elected to end this practice.

Assessment

Although a limited geographic area was represented, the positive feedback and clinically relevant benefits demonstrate the potential for a widespread adoption of OpenNotes.

Moreover, it may be a powerful tool in helping improve the lives of patients.

Citation: Inviting Patients to Read Their Doctors’ Notes: Author(s): Delbanco, T; Walker, J; Bell, SK and Darrer, JD et al: American College of Physicians, Annals of Internal Medicine, October 2012

Open Notes, a grantee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was developed to demonstrate and evaluate the impact on both patients and clinicians of fully sharing (through an electronic patient portal) all encounter notes between patients and their primary care providers.

Conclusion

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

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How to Hire a Medical Accountant

Posted on September 18, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Seek Healthcare Specificity

Staff Reporters

Use these 25 questions to educate yourself about accountants. And, use this 25-point checklist on how to pick a good healthcare focused CPA. It can be a powerful list for any medical professional and might help you bring in extra money, immediately.

Other Areas

In the areas of estate planning and financial planning, it is essential that doctors have a good team of financial professionals. This usually involves, at the very least, a CPA, an attorney, and a fiduciary focused financial advisor [maybe].

CPAs

If you are a CPA for docs, use this list as a reference for your doctor-clients. By bringing up the concept of due diligence on your own, it strengthens your position and makes a perfect opportunity to ask for referrals. You may also want to use this list as a newsletter insert or advertisement of some sort. Put a brief notice at the top of the list stating that doctors should ask their CPAs these questions, and if they need someone who fulfills these requirements, you would be glad to meet with them to discuss the questions.

Financial Advisors

As an FA, use this list as a networking tool. Refer your clients to a competent CPA who you already do business with or would like to do business with. When you refer clients to a good CPA, you open the opportunity for him or her to return the favor. Send this list to your existing clients at tax time as a neutral third party to help them find a good CPA (they already have a good financial advisor—you).

Attorneys

As an attorney, use this list the same way a financial advisor or account would—to network with the top CPAs and MDs in town. You can make it a standard piece in your mailings or newsletters once a year. When you start giving leads to other financial professionals, it will open up referrals that will be beneficial to your business.

Certified Medical Planner®

And, if you are a CPA, FA or attorney, be sure to promote your hard-won credentials for healthcare specificity; like the Certified Medical Planner® designation, for example.

 25 Questions to Ask Your Future Accountant

  1. What designations or credentials do you have?
  2. Are you in practice full-time?
  3. How many years of experience do you have in tax practice?
  4. Do you do all your returns by computer?
  5. What are your fees, and do you have a schedule that I can see?
  6. Can you provide references from other businesses similar to my own?
  7. Do you use any checklists to maximize my deductions?
  8. How soon do you return calls from clients?
  9. Do you teach any tax courses or have you written for any tax publications?
  10. Are you conservative, aggressive, or somewhere in the middle?
  11. What review process do you use in order to ensure a quality product?
  12. Do you specialize in taxes?
  13. What percentage of your practice relates to taxes?
  14. What other accounting services do you personally perform?
  15. May I look at your tax library?
  16. What do you do after tax season?
  17. How often do you take tax courses?
  18. What is your attitude toward audits?
  19. How do you treat gray areas?
  20. Have you ever been disciplined by the IRS, the SEC, or any accounting society?
  21. How many other clients like myself do you have?
  22. Do you offer pre-year-end tax planning as part of your tax service? If so, is there      an extra fee for this?
  23. Are you generally familiar with current health law and managed care policy?
  24. Do you offer any tax planning during the year?
  25. Can you give me a recent tax planning tip or tax change that may benefit me?

Finally, and most importantly of all; how do all of the above synergize into medical and healthcare specificity, for me?

Assessment

As you likely now realize, this list is not for CPAs only; but as a due diligence reminder for most fiduciary financial advisors professionals or attorneys who wish to work with doctor clients; “often the most difficult clients in the business.”

Disclosure

Dr. David E. Marcinko MBA, our Publisher-in-Chief and former CFP®, is founder of the online CMP® program in healthcare economics, management and finance for advisors www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Conclusion

Your thoughts, opinions and comments are appreciated.

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com  or Bio: www.stpub.com/pubs/authors/MARCINKO.htm

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