Okay, easy everyone.
I think what RGMSU is trying to say is that there IS a big difference in being a physician and "functioning as a physician." He/she is absolutely right in that physicians have much more rigor, depth, and length in their training that do Nurse Practitioners. It needs to be understood that there is a much greater "turf" war in medicine between MDs/DOs, NP, DNPs, PAs, and so forth. People in medicine, particularly MDs/DOs, are now partially on the defensive in order to preserve their well deserved specialty. It shouldn't be that way, they shouldn't have to defend, but they are forced to nonetheless. There is a misconception that mid-level providers can perform the same duties that a MD/DO can. They cannot...although you will certainly find anecdotal information to support that they can. Besides, I have seen RGMSU's previous posts and he/she is quite supportive of psychology.
Yes, there are drawbacks to being a PhD psychologist. The primary reason is that we are one of the very few kinds of PhDs that are involved in clinical/medical work in a hospital, etc. As a result, our pay is not what it should be given the fact that we take 11 years to licensure, far longer than any other profession. Most PhDs such as chemistry, biology, etc are separated from a medical clinic and therefore, have limited interactions with the hierarchies of the medical world.
Psychology folks often interact more easily as there is an easier separation of duties between an LPC and a PhD (although certainly overlap). In general, we all understand that there is room for each of us to learn from one another.
I work in a hospital and I hear the snide comments from the nurses about the physicians and I also hear the comments from PhDs that MDs/DOs are trade school doctors with on the job training. I also hear the MDs/DOs say that PhDs aren't "real doctors." Of course, I also hear surgeons say that the other physicians aren't real doctors, especially psychiatrists. Rude...uninformed...stupid...all of it. I often don't interact with those people as they seem to have the title to support their ego, rather than to use the title to help their patients. Besides...I have too much damn work to do.
So...to the original OP. If you want to work in psychology/psychiatry, yet still get the flavor of medicine as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner...go for it. You will certainly find a job that pays well. However, don't forget the rumblings that go on that will certainly influence your career.
