One, I call my dog's veterinarian "Doctor". It's a level of academic preparation, not a role. Get your academics straight. Two, I'd rethink my opinion on the DNP being a joke- then again, you'd have to be in my shoes at Vanderbilt's DNP program to even begin to consider the DNP a "joke". Can't wait for you to be shown up professionally, ya Chump.
Vanderbilt DNP Program Description (directly from their website)
"The Vanderbilt Doctor of Nursing Practice program is structured as a post-master's program for MSN-prepared nurses, requiring 74 credits,
39 of which may be transferred from an accredited APN (NP, CNM, CNS, CRNA) Master of Science in Nursing program. Students must complete 35 credits of coursework at Vanderbilt School of Nursing, including 500 hours of clinical integration, and a scholarly project. DNP students will have an intensive experience on-campus in Nashville for approximately
one week each semester to facilitate mentoring by faculty and interaction with nursing Vanderbilt PhD students as part of a community of scholars.
Other coursework, scholarly interaction and clinical application can take place in their home locations so that students do not have to relocate or give up employment. We use a variety of state-of-the-art online and distance learning technologies and techniques to facilitate the program and enrich every student's learning experience. Working with clinical partners in health care agencies/organizations, students will apply knowledge and skills gained from coursework to their clinical settings. These clinical experiences will build on the strengths of the Master's/APN curriculum, while transitioning students to the doctoral level.
"
Source:
http://www.nursing.vanderbilt.edu/dnp/study_plan.html
Key (in case it isn't obvious)
-More then half the program's credits can be transferred
-500 hours of clinical exposure (total)
-have to come to campus for ONE week per semester.
-encourage full time employment
-Have to find your own clinicals (inefficient).
-It's ONLINE!
-Want to Practice INDEPENDENT MEDICINE aka play doctor.
Sorry, "doctor" nurse, you have been "shown up", as you call it. I would like to state again that your curriculum is a joke. 2 years of classes, online, and they ENCOURAGE that you stay fully employed.
You are not a physician. You have not trained to be a physician. You have been trained to extend a physician's service, which BTW is a great service and a very respectable job. A Physician has 20 times the clinical exposure you have, and that is only counting residency, I'm sure there another 3-4 thou in med school itself. You are a NP, be proud of it! It's a great job and you are providing a great service to the people around you, but please, pleease, don't tell me you are a physician, or even
remotely close to one.
I call my dog's vet "doctor" too. I share that in common with you. Although, when I go to a human clinic and see someone saying 'Hi, I'm Dr. XYZ, I immediately know that the person infront of me is a MD or DO. In a clinical setting, the title doctor can and should only be reserved to physicians.