[the OlLine Rebel]

"The specialized body of knowledge practitioners have takes an extended period of time to learn."


I'm not sure, but I think the only professions that would really meet this criterion would be doctors and lawyers (and vets). Seems a bogus criterion to me.

[The_Reader_David]

Lawyers, actuaries, engineers, psychologists (of any licensable variety), or for that matter mathematicians (we sure as heck aren't amateurs, so we must be professionals) all fit the 'specialized body of knowledge' citerion.

Criterion 19 is the one that's a bit iffy as too medical.

[Joe 6-pack]

"...but I think the only professions that would really meet this criterion would be doctors and lawyers (and vets)."

I would argue that the military would qualify as well....

[No Truce With Kings]

"I'm not sure, but I think the only professions that would really meet this criterion would be doctors and lawyers (and vets)."

The rule I use to differentiate between professions and trades is this:

If an enthusiastic amateur can outperform a disengaged professional 90% of the time it is a trade. If a disengaged professional can outperform an enthusiastic amateur 90% of the time it is a profession.

Homeschooling parents are the definition of an enthusiastic amateur. They regulalry outperform uncaring teachers -- teaching is a trade. (A skilled trade, but a trade. Yet the odds are no matter how enthusiastic you are a brain surgeon with a bad case of DGAS is going to do an operation better than you can. Medicine is a profession. So is the law. So is engineering.

[HIDEK6]

I think the professions are law, medicine and engineering.

[jagusafr]

Yeah, but I gotta tell ya, I have a hard time choking back a comment when the trainer at my local fitness center refers to his "clients". Gimme a break, he's got a degree in exercise kinesiology (which used to be physical education)!

[Young Scholar]

Traditionally, the professions are considered law, medicine, and the clergy, all of which have always required an oath (hence the name "profession") to practice, and now require a professional degree in addition to a college degree.

[Dead Dog]

I agree. This criteria is crap.

[DugwayDuke]

"I'm not sure, but I think the only professions that would really meet this criterion would be doctors and lawyers (and vets). Seems a bogus criterion to me."

And the military.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm an engineer, and I'd have a hard time believing that the work I do doesn't constitute a "profession."

I would even make the case that lawyers aren't professionals, since extensive training actually seems to make many of them dumber and less competent over time.

[NonValueAdded]

Don't forget professional engineers.

[jammer]

Yeah, these are an attempted rewrite of traditional criteria, which include a specialized vocabulary, along with the autonomy and ethics, etc. Traditionally, the fields that were considered true professions were architecture, physicians, attorneys, engineers, and (IIRC) the clergy.

[poindexter]

I'm not sure, but I think the only professions that would really meet this criterion would be doctors and lawyers (and vets).

Scientists and engineers too.

[arroyo run]

I can think of lots of professions which recognize broadly the importance of professional oversight ... even barbers and hair stylists have to be evaluated by a state examiner's board made up of professionals in the field, though I don't know how rigorous it is from state to state. Medicine and law probably just take longer to learn.

I don't see how this applies to "teachers" as far as elementary and high school education, where the student isn't learning unique skills for a specific profession but basic knowledge and rudimentary social skills.