[AKA_Monet]

I have my PhD in molecular genetics. And I was attempting to go for the professor track, but due to several personal setbacks, I left my field altogether and am doing something wholly different.

A Ph.D. in any field teaches you some basics, what the current literature is of your interest, understanding it, defending your thoughts, and writing about it for publications. Afterward, you have to write grants, etc. to stay in the field. You have to interact with your field's experts, etc by making presentations, etc.

IMHO, you don't need a Ph.D. if you want to get paid and have the oooolala job.

But those letters behind your name make you the expert in the field of which you speak, without having really to publish in that area. Especially if you KNOW it.

The only difference is, you can NOT a physician, and laypeople often are confused.

Think about it this way, in the United Kingdom, they view the Philosophy of Doctorate higher than they do physician... Probably, long ago, a physician was also the undertaker and graver...