Mental Floss

1 Misconception About 50 Professions

Did you think that all architects need to be able to draw well to succeed? Think again. Turns out, you probably have a whole lot of misconceptions about common careers.

Ellen Gutoskey, Jake Rossen|
Someone tell this architect that he isn't actually required to draw. / Hinterhaus Productions / Getty
Someone tell this architect that he isn't actually required to draw. / Hinterhaus Productions / Getty

Most people only work a handful of different jobs in their lifetime, which means they might get their knowledge of other careers from TV and movies. That opens the door to a lot of misconceptions about a lot of different professions.

Did you know that doctors don’t actually have to take the Hippocratic Oath? The Hippocratic Oath isn’t any kind of legally-binding agreement. It’s more of a ritual, like wearing a gown and cap at graduation. One 2011 survey indicated only 80 percent of respondents recited an oath, and other surveys have indicated many of them may have actually recited the Lasagna Oath (which is a real thing).

If that’s not enough, lawyers don’t actually have to go to law school either. While many states require a law degree to become a licensed lawyer, not all of them do. So if you’re working with a lawyer or attorney and ask where they got their law degree from and they say they don’t have one, it’s not necessarily cause for alarm.

In this episode of Misconceptions, we debunk one myth about 50 different professions, from paleontologists to esports players.

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