In england a phd doesn't mean that you become a Professor - most people go into academia after gaining a phd but others go into teaching and other professions (public health leads etc).  The point, i believe, is the learning you get from a phd that can help you in any job in the future. 

In england a phd doesn't mean that you become a Professor - most people go into academia after gaining a phd but others go into teaching and other professions (public health leads etc).  The point, i believe, is the learning you get from a phd that can help you in any job in the future. 

It could be a professional PhD as well. You can do the thesis to be more professional in your job, to know more, or for example if you want to work as a researcher for the company in the research center.

Thanks for the question! I would add that the research work made to get a PhD involves the development of a variety of competencies, which should be useful in many professional options. Being a professor is one alternative, but there are many others which involve the analysis of information, the use of models and advanced techniques, the hability to find reliable data in the "sea of information", the use of evidences to corroborate hypothesis, the critical attitude towards pre-conceptions....

Hi Rahul,

I agree with the comments made by the others, and thought you might enjoy reading a bit more about PhD and beyond.  There is a website dedicated to post-PhD.  http://fromphdtolife.com/author/jen/  The website was created by Jennifer Polk who has also written interesting articles about life beyond the PhD on other websites http://www.academicmatters.ca/2013/11/life-beyond-the-phd/ and http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/from-phd-to-life/phd-passport/

Toula

 Thanks for your answers but I know there is a lot of scope after Phd in foreign countries but I am talking about India. In India it only seems to be a Proffessor nothing else. I actually want to do Phd but very confused about the aftereffects of Phd,`So please help me .........

Dear Rahul: Thank you for the conversation. Even in that case, I do not think that "being a Professor" means a unique type of carrier. It should be possible to combine teaching with research (basic? applied? oriented?) with diffusion of knowledge, with a broad activity as a socially engaged intelectual and probably more...

Hi Rahul,

I will add that it also depends on the professions.  In the counselling field (psychology, marriage and family therapy, social work etc), many people do a PhD and do clinical practice only.  There are also medical doctors with PhDs who do clinical work and research.  There are other many other examples.  While we may think academia is the only route post-PhD, that is not necessarily the case.  

Toula

I agree with the above comments, PhD is not just a degree it is a process in which one gets to develop acumen not only in his/her domain but it leads to self development in terms of experience and learning. PhD is a very tedious and methodical process which helps the candidates to develop critical/analytical thinking in a much broader perspective which can help in professional arena (in general) tremendously. It permeates confidence and sense of maturity (level) in most cases which is essentially required in today's professional environment. Perserverance in decision making is another thing which is incubated after the rigorous learning procedure one goes through. So, it is not just teaching which could be practiced after doing PhD but there are a host of other professions which welcomes candidates having the degree to utilize their potentials at the fullest. That is, from Education-teaching to Corporate-industry to Politics-administration every where there is an acceptability of PhD degree holders. I can qoute a number of examples from India- our Ex. Prime Minister, DR. MANMOHAN SINGH; Ex. Presidents, DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM AZAD, DR. S. RADHAKRISHNAN, DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD; DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR and the list is endless. Recently, the newly posted DM (District Magistrate) of Gwalior, where I live, is a Doctrate- Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Even many of my freinds working in industry are having PhD degree, and more importantly they all are doing exceedingly well in their respective jobs. So, I think that the scope of PhD is not limited to teaching only, rather it is having a wider scope in other professions also...

Firstly, think positive..instead of asking "what is left after Ph.D.", ask "what options do I have after Ph.D."..!! As your question reflects that you aren't interested in teaching career, you can serve for any research institution, R & D organizations, opt for post-doc. and many more..! All the very best..!!