When you go to the doctors, the title "doctor" is a "customary title". They don't hold doctorates. You'll notice that surgeons are usually called "mister". Pe

When you go to the doctors, the title "doctor" is a "customary title". They don't hold doctorates. You'll notice that surgeons are usually called "mister". Perhaps it stems from how the two professions arose. In ye olden days, a lot of surgery was performed by barbers. So when people ask if someone is a "real" doctor, their actual understanding is the wrong way around. In their minds, the words "Philosophy" in PhD somehow means they aren't proper doctors. Note that there are also higher doctorates, such as DSc (doctor of science, which will be specifically scientific), DD (doctor of divinity), etc.. I don't think I've ever met someone with a higher doctorate, though.