Many students at one time or another contemplate first, "what is a terminal degree?" And second, "why on earth would I ever venture down that road?"

The choice is simple: the PhD program involves creating new theory, whereas, in a DBA program, one applies theory to business—something (I) had been doing the past five years of (my) military and federal healthcare career.

Education at this level prepares one for leadership ranks within the respective field of study. Contributing prose to global journals or international seminars, the scholar can share their skills and proficiency with other professionals advancing the field. Seemingly qualified for any position within their space, they have substantially exploited their career elasticity.

It truly is impossible to quantify the knowledge and skills gained … no, earned when pursuing the terminal degree. The ability to shape outcomes, forecast future earnings, problem-solve, team-build and communicate with a mind adept to human motivation, learning, development, and behavior are invaluable.

• Descriptive
• Correlational
• Semi-experimental
• Experimental
• Review
• Meta-analytic

These all once were mere terms to us. Now they are "weaponized" tools of our trade.

So when asked how he has benefited from DBA studies and the ultimate degree, he answers with this: We have shared laughs and tears, insightful and some shortsighted conversations, performed countless hours of literature review, and honed months of prose development; agreed to disagree, pondered in the theoretical, mastered the hypothetical, and found the statistically significant.