The "Doctor" will see you now.

[Horace]

I’ve seen two NPs lately. I’m more concerned with their experience and general cognitive ability than their formal education. On average, NPs might be less than MDs in those areas, but any given NP might be good.

[Aqua Letifer]

My NP is a shitload better than all the doctors at the practice.

[George K]

I can't find the page that links this image, but here's a screenshot that I did find.

https://nursing.georgetown.edu/degree-programs/masters/fnp-online/

[LuFins Dad]

I think there’s a very important place for NPs. As our knowledge grows in so many fields of medicine, there’s been a greater need for specialization. As that continues to grow, so has the need to have more skilled service providers between the traditional nurse and specialist, but more and more autonomy and responsibility is being thrust upon these roles without subsequent education and training requirements.

[LuFins Dad]

I also worry that while NPs get a lot of the technical training necessary for the roles, they receive less of the ethical and moral training that comes with the years of schooling.

[LuFins Dad]

@George-K said in The "Doctor" will see you now.:

I can't find the page that links this image, but here's a screenshot that I did find.

https://nursing.georgetown.edu/degree-programs/masters/fnp-online/

44 credits… to become a practicing physician requires 150 postgrad credits, no? 1 semester of medical ethics course. How does that compare with medical school?

[George K]

@LuFins-Dad said in The "Doctor" will see you now.:

44 credits… to become a practicing physician requires 150 postgrad credits, no? 1 semester of medical ethics course. How does that compare with medical school?

No idea what it's like now.

But, I can tell you my curriculum from the dark ages.

Gross Anatomy: 3 quarters.
Neuro Anatomy: 1 quarter
Biochemistry: 2 quarter
Micro Anatomy (Histology): 2 quarters
Pharmacology: 2 quarters
Anatomy Lab (cadaver): 3 Quarters
Physiology: 3 Quarters
Psychology: 1 Quarter
Physical Diagnosis: 1 quarter

And then...you got to touch patients.

Physical Diagnosis on real people: 2 quarters.

And then you got to work in a hospital.

Internal Medicine: 1 quarter (12 weeks) - you 'shadow' an intern
Neurology: 6 weeks
Psychiatry: 6 weeks
Surgery: 12 weeks (1 week to anesthesiology)
OB/GYN: 6 weeks
Pets: 6 weeks.

Then, you go to do electives, and internal medicine as a senior was required.
I did 12 weeks of anesthesiology.

I may have missed something, but that's the gist of it.

I don't feel like wading through the current curriculum, but here it is:

https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/md-education/curriculum/phases/index.html

[George K]

[Mik]

I’ll be seeing an NP at 4. Three weeks for this cough and drainage. Ugh.

[George K]

Hopefully s/he has more than 500 hours of training.

[Mik]

Actually I think they just have me seeing a PA.

[George K]

In the comments -

• 750 is 15 hrs/week for 1 year.
• 500 hours is 6 weeks of residency (probably more like 8 weeks, but still).

[89th]

@Aqua-Letifer said in The "Doctor" will see you now.:

My NP is a shitload better than all the doctors at the practice.

Which is concerning since the doctors were proctologists.

[jon-nyc]

It never bothers me that much. I see specialists for serious things, if I go to a clinic it’s usually for something basic that I’d self-treat but for the need to prescribe drugs or imaging.