I wasn't going to get back into the "fray", but that "brain of a doctor poster" really is a good one. That will get any M.D. or med student "going". I don't agree w/ it, but do find it somewhat "entertaining"!
When I see my PCP, he doens't hardly make any eye contact. He is friendly, and extremely knowledgeable after 30 years of practice, but he is so busy writing his EMR on his tablet so the encounter note is finished when he walks out, that a person who is NOT in the medical field would view his behavior as rude. I know that he is just trying to "stay on schedule".
When I did tele-psych w/ the rural SE Ohio nursing homes, before I was involved, their psych was managed by IMG IM docs, who did not know anything about psych. I'd have 90 y/o patients on 1000 mg. of Depakote ER for agitation, and they would wonder why the pt was drowsy all the time. I would lower it to 125 mg, and they would "come back to life" in a matter of a few days.
I think the public's perception regarding NPs is that we spend more time w/ the pt, so "that means we care more". I find that the younger MDs are much more accepting too, of NPs. Face it folks, as Bob Dylan sang, "Times are a changing"!
As I said in the very beginning of this thread, NPs do NOT want MD's jobs. What we want is the opportunity, when properly trained, to do primary care, generally in areas where MDs don't want to be, or where the facility cannot afford to pay them. On-line students have tremendous problems getting preceptors, and many never get their certifications and DEAs as a result.
I work "in the hood" in SW Ohio. If it were not for NPs, 80% of our patients would not have anybody to take care of them.
And finally, aren't you guys going to wish me "Happy NP's week"?