Originally Posted by DrVinsk

It's often read or heard that " I'm not doing this for the money". But let's be real honest. Anyone who would spend around $200,000 on an education to make 60k a year is just silly. There are hundreds of ways to help fellow mankind, medicine is only one of them. So when you ask about different areas of medical practice, those silly responses that involve autonomy, work load, etc...ignore them. The honest answer that they have been socialogically trained to deny since preparing for interviews is, " Dr.'s make a lot more money". Thank you.

Originally Posted by jerry *******

NP's are getting autonomy in most states and can actually open up their own practices. The education is not the same as m.d. but a lot of NP's learn on the job. It depends on who you work for what you learn. They have 3 yr. NP programs that can go into after college with any degree otherwise it is 1-2 yr. if have nursing degree. Some places have Dr.NP degrees-its the new thing. Look into your state schools where the tuition is lowest.

Originally Posted by whuds

Look I'm not going to put down NP or PA s but they will never replace the MD,
They can't since that is practicing medicine without a Lic.

You are kidding yourself if you think years of practice as a NP or PA is the same as going to med school and residency, it's not the same.

I have practiced as an RN in advanced practice and done many things but I'm learning so much in med school. I have the time in med school to learn things that in Nursing school and after I just was not exposed to. I realized as a Nurse I was not the equal of an MD and would always refer to the MD many problems that they were to be consulted on, Yes I'm an expert on end of life but there are many things as an RN I did not have the knowledge base to TX on my own, nor is it legal. Anything that requires a consult with an MD by a NP or PA must have that consult or it is illeagal and it doesn't matter how many years they have practice in the end it endagers the Patient and the NP or PA may be sued or loose their License forever. Oh and a PHD NP is not a medical degree. They are a NP.

Originally Posted by rrod

agreed. they will not have autonomy because even if they hire someone as an employee they are working under their license. NP's and PA's are a great adjunct to the medical prof but to think that a NP or PA program equates with med school and residency is just not so.
I can vouch for what whuds is talking about; there are some PA students that do their rotations alongside us and some NP's and I can say that they have a very good grasp of material in general and know what to do in a specific situation but they tend to get a little lost when we talk about detailed concepts on pahrm, physio, genetics, micro on the why of things and how those details guide your therapaudic choices.
there is no sunbstitute for med school+residency otheriwise we would have thought about it, the russians would have copied it and the chinese would make the curricula cost 93% cheaper