Dr Karl: one step closer to becoming a 'real' doctor
Bright-shirt wearing science guru Dr Karl Kruszelnicki has today received an honorary doctorate University of the Sunshine Coast.
"I'm ever so thrilled to become a real doctor at last," he said.
While Dr Karl holds various bachelors and masters degrees in science and mathematics, astrophysics, biomedical engineering, medicine and surgery, is an accomplished author, and a science media personality, he is not yet an academic doctor.
"I'm not a real doctor in the sense that a real doctor, according to the university system, is somebody who has a PhD," he said.
I'm ever so thrilled to become a real doctor at last.
"The term doctor, as opposed to a medical doctor is an honorary term going back to the 1600s meaning a person of learning."
While an honorary doctorate will not gift Dr Karl with the title of 'doctor' in an academic sense, he said he's moving closer towards official recognition.
"I'm now going part of the way to address that gross imbalance in my life," he said.
Dr Karl said despite his short-lived career as a medical doctor, he still uses his skills in times of crisis.
"The best I ever did was take out an appendix, however if they say 'Is there a doctor on the plane' I always say yes," he said.
"I give out one medical emergency per year, which works out to one medical emergency per 11,000 passenger flights."
"My worst year was 1999 when I had 142 passenger flights, and in that year I had five medical emergencies to deal with — four lived and one died, but ever since then it's been smoothing sailing."
University of Sunshine Coast Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill said Dr Karl was a worthy recipient of an honorary doctorate award.
"He is proof that you can follow your dreams to create your own destiny — but along the way you'll need to work hard to support your pursuit of happiness."
PHOTO: Dr Karl with two top Sunshine Coast science students ahead of the graduating ceremony at University of the Sunshine Coast. (Supplied: Lou O'Brien)
"To fund his studies, Dr Karl worked across a diverse range of industries, in as many different roles, from taxi driver, clocking up more than 250,000km, to making and selling T-shirts."
Vice-Chancellor Hill said Dr Karl was an ideal role model for students.
"He has an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a dedication to lifelong learning," he said.
"In 2014, Dr Karl was listed Australia's 9th most trusted person by Readers Digest. He has an asteroid named after him — 18412 Kruszelnicki."
While receiving an honorary degree does not require any formal study or examination, Dr Karl said his education had never stopped.
"I've got 28 years of education, because I come from a time where education was seen as an investment in the future, and not an intolerable drain upon the country's resources," Dr Karl said.
"I supplement that with reading my way through $10,000 worth of scientific literature every year, which is a pile about a metre thick every month."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-26/dr-karl-receives-honorary-doctorate/7204116
