Are some medical students second-guessing themselves?
Now lets say that no matter what you do, you make $30,000/year more than your equivalent NP. You figure that after 30 years of practice (putting you at the nice comfortable retirement age of 66 for those of us that took the direct route) and you’re up $900K. Worth it, right? Well we haven’t incorporated malpractice insurance. Have you ever heard of anyone suing their NP? . . .. . . Factor in 30 years of malpractice insurance bills, and I’ll promise you it brings you right back to even (not to mention that physicians’ salaries are trending down relative to inflation while all nursing salaries are trending up). Couple that with the hours worked by an NP relative to an M.D. and the paperwork/legal hassles handled by an MD that aren’t worried about by NP’s, and the conclusion is obvious.
Do the same thing for the same amount of money, and have a better quality of life.
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{ 13 comments }
I hate to even say this, but that’s what I did. I wanted to be a doctor my entire life – granted, health problems were also a concern as during my undergrad music degree I was in the hospital a lot, and after several times of that, I decided that med school probably wasn’t going to be as feasable. But I never would have become a nurse if the end result wouldn’t have been to become an NP and do almost the exact same stuff, but with half the hassle…
I’ve put my NP on hold for now though because I actually truly enjoy being a neonatal nurse, and I’m in no rush to change it up at the moment. We’ll see – may finish someday! I still regret not going to medical school, but I also believe that things happen for a reason and my life went the direction it was always supposed to go!
I have never come across a nurse anesthetist unhappy with not being an anaesthesiologist either.
Actually, all the NP programs are migrating to DNP, or “doctor of nursing practice” degrees.
This means they will start calling themselves “doctors” and thus try to confuse patients into thinking they are real doctors.
I’m with neo…also on my way to being an NP. I wanted to go to med school, but when I thought about it, it just wasn’t worth it. I have 3 years of school behind me, and 3 left till I’m an NP, and no debt so far. Definitely a slicker deal than med school. I know I won’t be an MD, and I’m ok with that. Actually, it feels reassuring not to have that pressure- knowing I’ll have someone above me to consult with. I’m certainly happy where I am not.
To the comment above me- I certainly don’t think NPs are going to be going by “doctor” anytime soon. Every NP I know goes by their first name.
oh hell no. sorry, a good Np is = to a good M4 and the good ones realize it. Don’t kid yourselves into thinking NPs do the same thing as doctors. There’s a reason why NPs see the acute visits, b/c they don’t have the training/knowledge/licensing to warrant much else.
I know everyone THINKS they can do my job. but they can’t. plain and simple.
My parents are now shunted off to a PA for primary care purposes and as a result now _I_’m stuck double checking everything. PAs and NPs simply do not have the training to pick up non-obvious rare pathology. They are perfectly fine for 97% of cases and apparently from a financial perspective we as a society are cool with that. As someone with a vested “having parents” perspective I am obliged to cover the other 3% myself, which meant wading through lab results last year until I caught the hemochromatosis hiding in the mountain of worthless data.
>>My parents are now shunted off to a PA for primary care purposes and as a result now _I_’m stuck double checking everything……
Had the same thing myself. Dad called about Mom’s strange facial swelling shrugged off by the Nurse Practitioner.
The cardiologist’s Nurse practitioner.
“Uh, Dad, does Dr. Cardiologist still have her on Lisinopril?”
Here is the problem I have with seeing an NP. I have several medical issues and also see an oncologist and a cardiologist. I chose my MD because of his training and background. When i am shifted to the NP, she is not who I agreed to be doctored by when I joined that practice. I had never heard of her, nor do I have any idea if she is qualified to care for my medical conditions and sort through all the test results. Yes, she is friendly and very personable, much more so than the MD, but I don’t care about any of that, I want to see my doctor.
Your also right about patients being confused about it. She was walking through the lobby one day when a patient stopped her to introduce a friend to her. She did so by calling her “My Doctor” the NP tried to correct her by saying, “No I’m not your doctor I’m your NP” and the patient says, “well to me you’re my doctor and that’s all that matter’s.”
Maybe for her but not for me.
Wow! NPs are not intended to replace MDs, both have a role in health care and those of you who seem to have a problem with this new paradigm shift, need to encourage your children, grandchildren and any other high grad to pursue Med school, look at the numbers, people are not applying, or sticking to med school, we live in a society that wants every thing now, and seven years is too long for them to figure it out, and those of you who can’t seem to appreciate NPs/MDs, let me shed some light both professions have a flaws, number one, humans occupy both fields, so both make mistakes I have been a nurse for 18 years and an NP for 2 yrs and I can tell you that MDs/NPs make mistake not because their profession is flawed but because they are “human”. Doctors believe it or not with all of their expertise miss it on occasion and the NP misses it as well, but what the NP may fail to do is consult with the “doctor”. NPs are not Doctors, we are advanced practice nurses, who believe it or not are doing great things in acute care.Angela
to anonymous who made the comment a good M-4=NP:
I really enjoyed training 1st year FP residents in neurology. Think before you make such ridiculous comments.
Neuro NP
I am sorry to hear that two individuals were not satisfied with the NP’s care. I am an adult/geriatric/psych NP and work in acute and outpat. settings. 9 out of 10 patients I see appreciate my care and want to see me. The few who do not feel comfortable with I remove myself from being their primary provider because the patients have the right to have a provider that they feel comfortable with.
On that note, I have found multiple medication dosing mistakes written by MDs as well as DOs. Does that mean these providers were not good? No they are simply human. Am I better than my MD colleagues? Some areas I am and other areas I consult them. NPs are providing excellent quality of care. Therefore to dismiss them as equivalent to M4 is not warranted nor appropriate. To the person who wants a doctor should speak with the clinic director and request his appointment be made with the MD. You have a right to see who you want to see. Good luck with your health.
Bravo! NP power!
Wow, the MD’s on here sure do feel threatened. I guess they don’t have very busy practices, since they have time to leave all their angry comments on here.
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