Poor, Hungry Doctor (“Ph.D.” backronym)

A doctor can hold a Ph.D. degree or an M.D. degree. However, someone with an M.D. (medicine) is more likely to make more money than someone with a Ph.D. in English literature. A popular saying (especially in India) is that one should be an M.D. (Money Doctor) and not a Ph.D. (Poor, Hungry Doctor). “Poor Hungry Doctor” has been cited in print since at least 2002.
 
Other Ph.D. backronyms include “Papa Has Dough,” “Permanent Head Damage,” “Piled Higher and Deeper,” “Pizza Hut Deliveryman,” “Poor, Hungry and Determined,” “Poor, Hungry and Driven”  and “Pretty Huge Debt.”
 
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree is sometimes called “Bachelor of Fuck All.” The Bachelor of Science degree is frequently called B.S. (“bull shit”) and the Master of Science degree is called M.S. (“more shit” or “more of the same”), with both referenced in print since at least 1932.
 
Popular backronyms for the M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree include “Massive Bank Account,” “Master Bullshit Artist,” “Mediocre But Aggressive” and “Mediocre But Arrogant.” M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree backronyms include “Money Doctor” and “Much Deeper.”
     
   
Google Groups: soc.culture.romanian
Oferta de lucru
giorgio
9/9/02
(...)
*Va rugam sa prezentati ceveu’ cu cerintele de rigoare, stimati Acad. Prof. Dr. Docent-inocent, Ing. Sir, M.D.,  PSYD, PhD’s: (Poor Hungry Doctor), PMD, DVMS si restul trupei.
   
The Tickling Media Forum
Moose25
10-06-2003, 03:41 PM
Lightbulb Revealed!! Arranged marriages in Islam…or…3 Simple Rules for Marrying my Daughter:
 
(1) Must be a first cousin.
(2) Must have skin like white powder.
(3) Must be a doctor. A real doctor, i.e., an MD (Money Doctor), not a PhD (Poor hungry Doctor).
 
netphoria
Why Am I So Ugly?
01-19-2004, 02:47 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Helena Handbasket
I’m going to have to get a PhD. Does that count?
no, not a Poor Hungry Doctor
an MD- Money Doctor
 
Google Groups: alt.computer.consultants
Why Are American PhDs Poor & Unemployed?
Greg
8/1/04
I might be able to add some insight:
PHD = Poor Hungry Doctor, honestly though, I am kidding, those with PHDs have accomplished alot more than many others. You may also have to ask, why do they except so little?
       
Bob Dunsire Bagpipe Forums
BESharp
12-09-2005, 11:33 AM
Well, you know, “MD” stands for “Money Doctor” and “PHd” stands for “Poor, hungry doctor”.
 
Google Books
Portable Roots:
A Saga of the Tamil Diaspora
By Civacaṅkari, Rekha Shetty
New Delhi: Promilla & Co., Publishers
2006
Pg. 247:
Gunasekharan quickly objected, “No, no… don’t include me in that group, Venkat… These are money minting doctors — M.D.s. I am a poor, hungry doctor - Ph.D. in Economics…”
 
Twitter   
Luke
‏@LukeKoong
@Sandrafanclub Ass indeed. You can hang with me. I’ll be a Ph.D. Poor hungry doctor.
11:58 AM - 30 Jan 2009
 
Twitter
FirstLadyLue
‏@MissLueLue
Lol! My Medical Chem Professor defines Ph.D->poor hungry doctor and M.D->money doctor.
9:42 AM - 9 Sep 2010
 
Twitter
E Merrell
‏@LfAccording2mE
My Arab professor told us earlier that his mother said…an MD = Money Dr.  & a PHD= Poor Hungry Doctor… we all laughed uneasy
2:01 PM - 19 Jan 2012
 
Twitter
Larianna Varnado
‏@UGucci_ImLV
He said his mom wanted him to be a MD “money doctor” not a PHD “poor hungry doctor.” -Dr. Boutté
9:46 AM - 13 Feb 2012
 
Twitter
Patrick G
‏@TheBig6Pat
Spoken like a true chemist.
“PhD stands for Poor hungry Doctor, and MD stands for Money Doctor”.”
11:45 AM - 26 Aug 2015
 
Twitter
Miguel Royo-León
‏@royoleon
From my Computer Architecture professor: There are two types of doctors.
1. MD i.e. Money Doctor
2. Ph.D. i.e. Poor Hungry Doctor
#phdchat
10:49 PM - 1 Sep 2015
El Paso, TX