Anonymous wrote:Yes. I have a friend who is a fully qualified medical doctor with an additional PhD in blood born diseases. That's her specialty.

Uuuuh that was probably an MD/PhD program and a medical doctor is NOT a PhD lol. Multiple PhDs is usually a sign of poor planning and/or a major life mistake. Most PhD programs allow and in fact require minors or concentrations outside of your area of interest in order to get your degree. So, let's say I'm getting a PhD in psychology but i think I'm more interested in the computational side of cognitive science. I could take PhD level classes in computer science if that would contribute to my understanding of the topic. Or I'm getting a PhD in economics and I know I want to focus more on finance topics - I could take finance seminars in the business school (at most schools) for a finance minor concentration. People who are crappy planners do things like get a PhD in Social Psychology or Economics but didn't have the foresight or planning capability to take the proper mix of courses, so they then make the severe life error of going BACK for another PhD in Cognitive Science or Finance. Two PhDs is not a mark of pride

Yes. I have a friend who is a fully qualified medical doctor with an additional PhD in blood born diseases. That's her specialty.

yes Strayer Uni was having a two for one sale. So, I got two for the price of one.

I know someone who got a PhD in Europe (3 years) then got one in the US (5 years). Honestly with a solid PhD you should be ready to try other research as a professional. But if you are retired and want to do something structured or something could be interesting I guess.

The only exception is that some schools offer “dual” PhDs just like you can get a dual MD/PhD or JD/PhD. The requirements overlap. I got my PhD from Yale and it was an option to have a “dual” PhD - and be recognized for both separately! - by taking required coursework, language requirements, and qualifying exams in two departments, but writing one dissertation.

Unless you're changing field (say you have a OhD in Chemistry and you switch to Psychology) having more than one PhD is just silly. It’s something people say in movies and TV all the time but simply isn't realistic.

Ugh - says another PhD

I also agree with earlier poster (but this will depend on subject area) that getting more than one Phd means you are not putting the extra work in post-doc to establish yourself in your field and you aren't contributing to your field.

If you are spending all that time on a different subject, you won't have time to publish AND it's likely the field of your first Phd has moved on to include so much more that you are not keeping up with.

Anonymous wrote:Good God, why?

— someone with a PhD

I wish I had the energy to to do it! If I did, I would.

-someone else with a PhD,

It’s not two separate degrees, but there are quite a few universities that offer “double” PhD programs, especially in engineering. For example, people who want to work with robotics can get a PhD in computer science and electrical engineering.

It usually is not a good sign. It reflects a perpetual student mentality and not the ability to progress in the original field.

Good God, why?

— someone with a PhD

Yes, of course it's possible...but rare. My postdoc mentor had two PhDs in completely unrelated fields.

Yes a second and third are sometimes done if one is branching into a new speciality. I know a scientist with three.

Why would you want to do that? What purpose would it serve? MD/PhD programs exist and I know a couple of people who have done that. But getting two PhDs seems crazy and it would like a decade or more.

Is it possible to get more than one PhD? Do you know anyone who has done it and if so, what fields were the degrees in?