She MAY be a Phd but she is not licensed in California to act as a “professional” - being a practicing doctor. I have a Doctor of Divinity, cost me $25 and a stamp. I don’t call myself “Doctor”.
Ford is not an MD and cannot practice medicine; she is a teaching/research professor with a PhD. PhD's are typically called "Doctors", but they are not Medical Doctors. I don't believe Ford "has" patients or "treats" patients and therefore doesn't require being licensed.
You must be a licensed psychologist to consult/counsel patients in the domain of public health. Psychiatrists (certified Medical Doctors (MD's) who have gone to medical school) can prescribe drugs in the treatment of patients.
At my university, the teaching staff in the various faculties (who were PhD's) preferred being called "Professor" by the students, rather than "Doctor", it being a more prestigious term. Interestingly, my sister, an MD, said her instructors at med school were called "Doctor", rather than "Professor".
"I have a Doctor of Divinity, cost me $25 and a stamp. I don't call myself "Doctor"."
Good grief, I would hope not.