* Medical Doctors (MDs) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs): These individuals have completed medical school and a residency program, and are licensed to practice medicine. They are physicians.
* Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs): This is an academic degree earned after completing advanced studies and research in a specific field. While they are "doctors," their expertise is in academia and research, not medicine. Their area of expertise might be anything from physics to history to literature.
* Doctors of other professional degrees (e.g., Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)): These individuals have earned advanced professional degrees through rigorous study and training in their respective fields. Like PhDs, they aren't medical doctors, but hold doctorates in specific professional disciplines.
In short, anyone who has earned a doctoral degree can be called "doctor," but the term's implication greatly depends on the specific type of doctorate. It's crucial to distinguish between medical doctors and those with other doctoral degrees. Using "doctor" for a medical doctor is generally understood to mean a physician.