Torn between NP/PA and MD, please help

[kwinterwinter]

Hello,
I know there are previous threads discussing the differences, pros and cons but I would love a current perspective now that shifts in the medical world are taking place due to obama care and popularity of mid-level provider careers.

I am 30 years old, and decided to switch from my current career in journalism to medicine through the process of becoming very ill, and recovering over a span of 2 years. I had a mostly negative experience with Physicians, but there were a few stars that stuck with me, and ultimately the kind of provider I would like to become.

I initially decided to aim for NP, as being 29 (at the time of my decision) I felt MD was too long of a road. Moreover I have heard mixed reviews of what it's actually like to be a practicing physician and most of the nurses I know are very happy with their careers. I have just now completed all my pre-reqs for direct entry MSN and accelerated BSN programs and am lined up to apply, however I still feel as though I am trying to prove to myself this is the correct thing to do.

My concern about NP and PA are as follows:

*I am afraid I will not have enough scientific/medical knowledge to help others at the level I wish to*

The reason I decided to switch to a medical career is because my personal health case was very complex, and although it was not enjoyable trying to solve my own medical mystery, I want to be able to take on complex cases and really use the depth of knowledge I have, to help others. I love medical research and am sincerely fascinated by immunology, studies regarding microbiome, infectious disease, physiology in general, autoimmune problems, rare diseases etc. I think I make my point.

I do realize that NP's work with doctors in specialty fields now outside of Family Medicine. But Im assuming, if someone is seen with a less common presentation, the NP is not the one to ruminate or help the physician come to a diagnosis. Please correct me if Im wrong!

I also realize the PA's have the 'medical model' but again, same question as above... Im afraid that I will get stuck with the most basic cases and if I do encounter an individual searching for the root of a problem, it will be beyond my intellectual and legal scope to assist them in their search for an answer.

So I am basically asking if I am wrong in my assumptions. Does anyone work with NP/PA's and can confirm there is room for complex problem solving as an NP/PA?

*If I go the MD route, my career will be spent doing paperwork at a low salary (in comparison to past MD salaries)*

I am also curious if anyone is practicing as an MD, how labor intensive the current documentation process is? Do you really feel as though it has ruined being a physician? I have heard so many mixed feelings on how much documentation there is...this may be due to the fact that some had to switch to constant documentation, whereas others began their career dealing with this?

My concern regarding MD/DO is that the career will be basically flat by the time I am actually practicing, and may not be worth the effort or time (I dont really believe this, but have read on numerous accounts). By flat I mean salaries will be at an all time low and that NP/PA's will be the most common providers while MD's are overheads/supervisors.

And finally, I can become an NP by 2019, and a physician by 2025... so this is of concern as well. But if I am never satisfied as an NP, I dont think a few years matters at all in the end. I have read many forums discussing the time commitment and debt that doctors incur, however this confuses me as doctors typically make a decent salary, so the time spent and debt seems to be replaced with a high salary, allowing you to pay off those debts. Am I wrong? I dont have kids yet, but am 99% sure I dont want them, so that is not a deciding factor for me.

It is amazing if you have read this far. I so greatly appreciate any advice. Thank you!!!

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[esob]

I would suggest you make sure you are comparing net and not gross salaries. As salaries go up, so do tax brackets, so while it might look like one person is making a lot more, when you factor in the amount of taxes they pay, plus the additional debt load, the actual monthly net salary difference is not nearly as immense as it seems at first on paper.

 

[ChopinLiszt]

I have considered this, too - I'd be willing to bet that most of us non-trads have had to seriously weigh in our minds if the MD is really "worth it" vs another medical career.

This is how I have thought about it, but I'm still premed and have no actual experience, so, ya know.. Just my two cents.
Don't do it for the money, and don't avoid it because of the money. Either way you go, you'll be fine financially as long as you live within your means, and messed up financially if you don't.
If the schooling for all those degrees was free, and the salaries were the same after training, which career would you prefer?

It sounds to me like the diagnostic part of the job (specifically, complex diagnosis) is most appealing to you - I'm the same way. I have never been a PA or NP, but from what I have read and heard from others, the diagnostic part of those jobs does seem somewhat basic - sort of figuring out if the problem at hand falls under their primary care treatment umbrella or whether they need to be referred. It still takes brains, training, and experience to do that, of course, but if you want to be more specialized, you'll need the MD.

Do you think if you got the MD there's a chance you'd regret it and wish you had done NP/PA instead?

 

[kwinterwinter]

I would suggest you make sure you are comparing net and not gross salaries. As salaries go up, so do tax brackets, so while it might look like one person is making a lot more, when you factor in the amount of taxes they pay, plus the additional debt load, the actual monthly net salary difference is not nearly as immense as it seems at first on paper.

Thank you that is a valid point. Im sure lifestyle is a huge factor as well.

 

[kwinterwinter]

I have considered this, too - I'd be willing to bet that most of us non-trads have had to seriously weigh in our minds if the MD is really "worth it" vs another medical career.

This is how I have thought about it, but I'm still premed and have no actual experience, so, ya know.. Just my two cents.
Don't do it for the money, and don't avoid it because of the money. Either way you go, you'll be fine financially as long as you live within your means, and messed up financially if you don't.
If the schooling for all those degrees was free, and the salaries were the same after training, which career would you prefer?

It sounds to me like the diagnostic part of the job (specifically, complex diagnosis) is most appealing to you - I'm the same way. I have never been a PA or NP, but from what I have read and heard from others, the diagnostic part of those jobs does seem somewhat basic - sort of figuring out if the problem at hand falls under their primary care treatment umbrella or whether they need to be referred. It still takes brains, training, and experience to do that, of course, but if you want to be more specialized, you'll need the MD.

Do you think if you got the MD there's a chance you'd regret it and wish you had done NP/PA instead?

I have considered my decision without the cost of schooling and final salary, and I instinctively choose MD. However I am still conflicted as I find it difficult from an outside perspective, to know exactly what I will like and dislike about a particular line of work, until Im in it (which Im sure you can relate). I do worry I may regret not doing NP/PA for the general ease of it (in comparison). 'What if' I'm perfectly content working hand in hand with a specialist, and having less responsibility overall, with the perk of less schooling? It is so difficult to make these decisions from outside of the medical world. A friend of mine just finished her 4th year and said "If you can imagine doing anything else in your life, do it...my parents (who are also physicians) told me the same thing and I didnt believe them, but I wish I had taken another route" This really stuck with me. Then of course there are others that say medical school was a blast and it was the best decision of their life. Im aware these are anecdotal stories and I will have to make my own decision based on personal needs. I am attempting to line up shadowing sessions with both NP's and MD's, but thought this forum might lend some perspective as well. So, thank you for your two cents!

 

[Newtonian21]

Hello,
I know there are previous threads discussing the differences, pros and cons but I would love a current perspective now that shifts in the medical world are taking place due to obama care and popularity of mid-level provider careers.

I am 30 years old, and decided to switch from my current career in journalism to medicine through the process of becoming very ill, and recovering over a span of 2 years. I had a mostly negative experience with Physicians, but there were a few stars that stuck with me, and ultimately the kind of provider I would like to become.

I initially decided to aim for NP, as being 29 (at the time of my decision) I felt MD was too long of a road. Moreover I have heard mixed reviews of what it's actually like to be a practicing physician and most of the nurses I know are very happy with their careers. I have just now completed all my pre-reqs for direct entry MSN and accelerated BSN programs and am lined up to apply, however I still feel as though I am trying to prove to myself this is the correct thing to do.

My concern about NP and PA are as follows:

*I am afraid I will not have enough scientific/medical knowledge to help others at the level I wish to*

The reason I decided to switch to a medical career is because my personal health case was very complex, and although it was not enjoyable trying to solve my own medical mystery, I want to be able to take on complex cases and really use the depth of knowledge I have, to help others. I love medical research and am sincerely fascinated by immunology, studies regarding microbiome, infectious disease, physiology in general, autoimmune problems, rare diseases etc. I think I make my point.

I do realize that NP's work with doctors in specialty fields now outside of Family Medicine. But Im assuming, if someone is seen with a less common presentation, the NP is not the one to ruminate or help the physician come to a diagnosis. Please correct me if Im wrong!

I also realize the PA's have the 'medical model' but again, same question as above... Im afraid that I will get stuck with the most basic cases and if I do encounter an individual searching for the root of a problem, it will be beyond my intellectual and legal scope to assist them in their search for an answer.

So I am basically asking if I am wrong in my assumptions. Does anyone work with NP/PA's and can confirm there is room for complex problem solving as an NP/PA?

*If I go the MD route, my career will be spent doing paperwork at a low salary (in comparison to past MD salaries)*

I am also curious if anyone is practicing as an MD, how labor intensive the current documentation process is? Do you really feel as though it has ruined being a physician? I have heard so many mixed feelings on how much documentation there is...this may be due to the fact that some had to switch to constant documentation, whereas others began their career dealing with this?

My concern regarding MD/DO is that the career will be basically flat by the time I am actually practicing, and may not be worth the effort or time (I dont really believe this, but have read on numerous accounts). By flat I mean salaries will be at an all time low and that NP/PA's will be the most common providers while MD's are overheads/supervisors.

And finally, I can become an NP by 2019, and a physician by 2025... so this is of concern as well. But if I am never satisfied as an NP, I dont think a few years matters at all in the end. I have read many forums discussing the time commitment and debt that doctors incur, however this confuses me as doctors typically make a decent salary, so the time spent and debt seems to be replaced with a high salary, allowing you to pay off those debts. Am I wrong? I dont have kids yet, but am 99% sure I dont want them, so that is not a deciding factor for me.

It is amazing if you have read this far. I so greatly appreciate any advice. Thank you!!!

Listen!!! I am a nurse (RN BSN) I spent 5 years in college, graduated at age 23 with my BSN. After working for almost three years now( ER, CICU, medsurg floor), I must tell you you need to go on your knee and pray to God for guidance if you're religious and do a soul searching about commitment. For me after working as a Nurse I must tell you being a nurse isn't fun, and being an MD isn't either. They require dedicated minds. I went back to start taking my prerequisite for med school based on my experience as a nurse and understanding of patient care. You will never be satisfied if you don't go MD/DO if learning fully about diseases and treatment management is all you want.. NP/PA and MD/DO are different fields. Please do some shadowing.

 

[kwinterwinter]

Listen!!! I am a nurse (RN BSN) I spent 5 years in college, graduated at age 23 with my BSN. After working for almost three years now( ER, CICU, medsurg floor), I must tell you you need to go on your knee and pray to God for guidance if you're religious and do a soul searching about commitment. For me after working as a Nurse I must tell you being a nurse isn't fun, and being an MD isn't either. They require dedicated minds. I went back to start taking my prerequisite for med school based on my experience as a nurse and understanding of patient care. You will never be satisfied if you don't go MD/DO if learning fully about diseases and treatment management is all you want.. NP/PA and MD/DO are different fields. Please do some shadowing.

Thank you for your reply. Im curious why you are choosing Med school over advanced practice nursing? Also, maybe you are one of the dedicated minds you speak of... but again out of curiosity, if you dont think either are fun (maybe fun isnt your ultimate goal?), but why not pursue a different field all together? It seems you are still very young, and you can go forward in endless directions at this point. I have chosen 4 different paths at this point, and dont regret bouncing around at all because every decision has helped guide the next! Thanks again for your perspective and advice!

 

[Newtonian21]

Thank you for your reply. Im curious why you are choosing Med school over advanced practice nursing? Also, maybe you are one of the dedicated minds you speak of... but again out of curiosity, if you dont think either are fun (maybe fun isnt your ultimate goal?), but why not pursue a different field all together? It seems you are still very young, and you can go forward in endless directions at this point. I have chosen 4 different paths at this point, and dont regret bouncing around at all because every decision has helped guide the next! Thanks again for your perspective and advice!

Kwinterwinter, I am currently 25 will be 26 in couple months. I plan to apply to med school in 2018 to start in 2019. By the time I'm done I'll be around 32-33 then residency and all that stuff will follow. Know Yea that age is a number we have to deal with. I decided to pursue MD because of my experience with patient care like I said earlier. You won't understand this until you've worked in my shoes. After looking at both MD/DO and NP/PA curriculum I know I'll be better off going MD because I need more autonomy and knowledge to deal with diseases. Nursing scope of practice is totally different from MD. A rigorous 2 years of class learning before clinicals isn't a joke. I hate running after doctors to seek more info about patients conditions. You'll only know the periphery of the case. Believe me as an NP you'll be under MD's because you're not an MD. Read more on this thread there are NP 's who've gone back to take prerequisites to MD school. The current AMA president was a former nurse. I don't think for me I'll regret it a bit for making this decision. Again this is from my experience. This is why I said to shadow both fields to see what their day looks like. I work closely with doctors I know what they go through with me. Feel free to ask me anything. Goodluck studying.

 

[kwinterwinter]

Kwinterwinter, I am currently 25 will be 26 in couple months. I plan to apply to med school in 2018 to start in 2019. By the time I'm done I'll be around 32-33 then residency and all that stuff will follow. Know Yea that age is a number we have to deal with. I decided to pursue MD because of my experience with patient care like I said earlier. You won't understand this until you've worked in my shoes. After looking at both MD/DO and NP/PA curriculum I know I'll be better off going MD because I need more autonomy and knowledge to deal with diseases. Nursing scope of practice is totally different from MD. A rigorous 2 years of class learning before clinicals isn't a joke. I hate running after doctors to seek more info about patients conditions. You'll only know the periphery of the case. Believe me as an NP you'll be under MD's because you're not an MD. Read more on this thread there are NP 's who've gone back to take prerequisites to MD school. The current AMA president was a former nurse. I don't think for me I'll regret it a bit for making this decision. Again this is from my experience. This is why I said to shadow both fields to see what their day looks like. I work closely with doctors I know what they go through with me. Feel free to ask me anything. Goodluck studying.

Im glad to hear you are so passionate about patient care. Thanks again for your input. Good luck to you as well!

 

[QofQuimica]

Have you considered getting an MPH or a PhD in a field like epidemiology? Because TBH, if learning about diseases and "solving medical mysteries" is your passion, you are going to be sorely disappointed in the reality of your day-to-day practice as either an MD or as a midlevel. The vast majority of patient complaints are not intellectually interesting and require relatively little in depth problem-solving (unless you count dealing with myriad social issues as "problem-solving," in which case, you should consider a degree in social work, and lord bless you and those like you who take on such a thankless and overwhelming job).

Documentation is a necessary evil of the job, and I don't call it an "evil" lightly. You will have to deal with it regardless of what you choose to do in health care.

I agree with the others who have suggested that you spend more time shadowing/volunteering in a health care setting. The reason why you are having such a hard time making the decision is because you have insufficient info, and I suspect you may know on some level that neither career path is really what you are looking for. I would therefore advise you to broaden your search and consider other options, like public health, that might be more in keeping with what you are really looking for out of a medical career.

 

[kwinterwinter]

Have you considered getting an MPH or a PhD in a field like epidemiology? Because TBH, if learning about diseases and "solving medical mysteries" is your passion, you are going to be sorely disappointed in the reality of your day-to-day practice as either an MD or as a midlevel. The vast majority of patient complaints are not intellectually interesting and require relatively little in depth problem-solving (unless you count dealing with myriad social issues as "problem-solving," in which case, you should consider a degree in social work, and lord bless you and those like you who take on such a thankless and overwhelming job).

I have considered these options, but felt both would be somewhat limiting. The reason I initially chose NP was for the versatility of the degree, and I would consider MD the most versatile of all.

Documentation is a necessary evil of the job, and I don't call it an "evil" lightly. You will have to deal with it regardless of what you choose to do in health care.

I agree with the others who have suggested that you spend more time shadowing/volunteering in a health care setting. The reason why you are having such a hard time making the decision is because you have insufficient info, and I suspect you may know on some level that neither career path is really what you are looking for. I would therefore advise you to broaden your search and consider other options, like public health, that might be more in keeping with what you are really looking for out of a medical career.

I agree. I'm hoping to shadow various practitioners asap as I do feel like I am lacking necessary first hand accounts to help inform my decision. Thanks for all your advice!

 

[kwinterwinter]

I was in your shoes (trying to decide between PA and med school), so I shadowed PAs and MDs/DOs and knew instantly.... I think you will as well once you get some shadowing in! I come from a different background, as I am getting my PhD, but I realized within the first twenty minutes shadowing a PA that I wanted to be a doctor, and my shadowing of doctors further confirmed that. Good luck!

Thank you that is very encouraging. I would love to hear how you approached both parties to ask about shadowing. I have tried cold-emails without reply (my network is mostly outside of healthcare). Any tips greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[kwinterwinter]

I have a friend of a friend who is a PA, and I Facebook messaged her and said that I was considering PA school and if she had any recommendations on how to set up shadowing. She gave me the name of the PA coordinator at her hospital who sent out my email to PAs and within a day I had two set up! Then for doctors I called their offices and described that I was premed (by that point I had ruled out PA school) and was able to set up a couple pretty easily. I think that since medicine is so much teaching, they're really used to it. They're all so busy that I think calling is easier than emailing. It's easier to find contact information for doctors than PAs from my experience, but you could always try asking your friends if any of them see PAs and have any contact info. For most PA schools, they require like 50 hours of shadowing a PA so they will all understand the struggle. If you have a PA school near you, you can contact them as they have networks for their clinical rotations set up and will probably have great recommendations. It's tough but once you get it rolling, it's a ton of fun. I loved all of my shadowing experiences, even the ones that showed me what I didn't want to do.

Ok thanks! I will try calling in place of emailing. Im wondering, as you mentioned your PhD background... do you mind if I ask how old you are now as a pre-med? Was this at all a deciding factor for you? At this point the duration of either path will only vary by a few years, and isnt a huge concern as I love school. However, I would love to hear your reasoning if this was something you considered as well. Thanks again for all your input.

 

[kauaibbygrl808]

I too am in the same boat, thanks everyone for putting in your input! I know I want the MD but NPs here in Hawaii are starting to become more and more common. HOWEVER, my fear is that I won't have the necessary biological science background needed to treat patients. Having the depth of knowledge is important to me because I think I make more confident decisions that way. I also don't want to take shortcuts and regret it in the end. Here in Hawaii, if you enter the DNP program with no BSN, you still end up going to school for 4 years. One year to "catch up" to the BSN level (the curriculum is what they describe as "rigorous") and then 3 years of NP schooling, most of which is didactic. Only 1000 hrs of clinic for the DNP. So here, it's less intensive in NP school vs Med school but with the same outcomes (if you plan to do family medicine) not sure if this differs in other specialties for NPs. I'm not sure if someone would know...but I had a NP (got her MSN right before they changed to the DNP here in Hawaii) tell me she would be paid THE SAME amount as the MD in her clinic if she worked 5 days a week (she only works 4 days). Is this true? I was in disbelief....


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[kwinterwinter]

I too am in the same boat, thanks everyone for putting in your input! I know I want the MD but NPs here in Hawaii are starting to become more and more common. HOWEVER, my fear is that I won't have the necessary biological science background needed to treat patients. Having the depth of knowledge is important to me because I think I make more confident decisions that way. I also don't want to take shortcuts and regret it in the end. Here in Hawaii, if you enter the DNP program with no BSN, you still end up going to school for 4 years. One year to "catch up" to the BSN level (the curriculum is what they describe as "rigorous") and then 3 years of NP schooling, most of which is didactic. Only 1000 hrs of clinic for the DNP. So here, it's less intensive in NP school vs Med school but with the same outcomes (if you plan to do family medicine) not sure if this differs in other specialties for NPs. I'm not sure if someone would know...but I had a NP (got her MSN right before they changed to the DNP here in Hawaii) tell me she would be paid THE SAME amount as the MD in her clinic if she worked 5 days a week (she only works 4 days). Is this true? I was in disbelief....


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I do think this is common, particularly in family practice. My Dad's Geriatric MD said she makes 80k in San Francisco...she also mentioned to him how unhappy she is and wishes she had never chosen medicine. I think if you are unhappy, and hate your situation... leave. I think many people complain because they feel stuck and are unwilling to explore other options. I also think many people who complain about medicine and want to leave are those that decided to go all in when they were 18 years old. If I was currently stuck with my decision at 18 to be a professional dancer in Los Angeles, I would be very unhappy too! I hold the same sentiment as you regarding knowledge. I want to learn as much as possible and might feel short changed going through three years of grad school (and a lot of money), knowing I still dont know the in's and outs of medicine. This is why I have been doubting the NP route. Anyway, I'm not the most qualified to answer your question.... but I do think the decision cant be about money. You will end up with debt regardless. You will be successful or not successful depending on who you are, your lifestyle etc etc etc. What I think matters most is what you want to learn while in school, and how you wish to apply your education once you graduate. Good luck to you!

 

[kwinterwinter]

No problem! I'm about to turn 29, so yeah age was definitely a factor in my decision but wasn't the deciding factor. I also love learning and classes, so the additional years of school aren't bad- but I am concerned about having children since it isn't just med school but residency that adds on years (and I'm married and a female so the pressure to have kids is there already). In the end, I don't want to be 35 and regretting not going for med school (I was premed in undergrad before getting my PhD and have regretted not pursuing med school for years). Even at our ages, we have almost 30 years of working (if we retire at 65) after med school. That's a huge amount of time left in our careers, so I decided to go for the dream as hard as I can for the next couple of cycles, and then if it doesn't happen then consider back up plans. It's obviously a really complex decision. You've got to go with whatever choice you think you'll have the fewest regrets down the road. I hope this isn't too scattered, responding on my phone so never feel like it's coherent lol. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions or concerns down the road!

Thank you, your reply's have been really helpful. I too dont want to regret not doing MD at 35, especially since after all is said and done I could easily be graduating from an NP program around the same time. So, might as well finish with an MD if that's what I really want. Thanks again, and good luck with everything!

 

[QofQuimica]

I do think this is common, particularly in family practice. My Dad's Geriatric MD said she makes 80k in San Francisco...she also mentioned to him how unhappy she is and wishes she had never chosen medicine. I think if you are unhappy, and hate your situation... leave. I think many people complain because they feel stuck and are unwilling to explore other options. I also think many people who complain about medicine and want to leave are those that decided to go all in when they were 18 years old. If I was currently stuck with my decision at 18 to be a professional dancer in Los Angeles, I would be very unhappy too! I hold the same sentiment as you regarding knowledge. I want to learn as much as possible and might feel short changed going through three years of grad school (and a lot of money), knowing I still dont know the in's and outs of medicine. This is why I have been doubting the NP route. Anyway, I'm not the most qualified to answer your question.... but I do think the decision cant be about money. You will end up with debt regardless. You will be successful or not successful depending on who you are, your lifestyle etc etc etc. What I think matters most is what you want to learn while in school, and how you wish to apply your education once you graduate. Good luck to you!

Are you sure it's $80k and not $180k? If so, she needs to quit that job and get another one. Or even (gasp) leave San Francisco altogether. It's a big country (even world) out there, and geriatricians are in short supply. No way that $80k should be a normal salary for a geriatrician in most places unless you're talking about a geriatrics fellow or someone working PT. Or maybe military. But otherwise, she should be making at least twice that amt as an attending geriatrician. I'm applying for fellowship right now, and PGY-4 salaries (what a first year FM or IM fellow would be making) are in the mid $60k's here in the South, where COL is significantly lower than in Cali, and that's not including extra money from moonlighting.

To answer kauai's question, I can't speak for HI. But the midlevels here in FL do not earn anywhere near as much as the docs do, and I'm speaking as someone who takes a significant paycut due to being in academic medicine compared to what I'd make in private practice.

 

[kauaibbygrl808]

To be honest with everyone here my initial intent was to become an NP. But then I came to a realization that id be in NO WAY competent enough to treat patients on my own especially with NO RN experience. I never considered being a doctor until curiosity hit me and I researched the pre-reqs for JABSOM (John A. Burns School of Medicine - HI based) and I felt like the pre-reqs were more sufficient for me and my curiosity, it sounded fun. IF I make it into med school, I'll be done at 34 (I'm 26 now). I'm an extremely non-trad student. I dropped out of high school, totally screwed up my first year of CC in 2009 (Ill support from counselors, I didn't realize I had to formally drop out of school, my grandmother was terminal) when I came back to school in 2015 I had to start MY GPA from WAYYYYYYY DOWN UNDER, 0.00. idk if it's even gonna be possible to get back up to AT LEAST 3.6 by the time I graduate. Here in Hawaii, the odds are much against me. Most people who go into Medicine are Asians. I'm Hawaiian, Chinese, Caucasian. But I define as Native Hawaiian (because of quantum). And practicing physicians that are native Hawaiian are less than 2%. It's a long story but socioeconomic status here puts the odds against be big time. I suppose my story and situation would be something to point out in the interview (assuming I get one *sigh*)

OP, MD no matter what...I've had many NPs tell me to go the NP route and when I tell them I'd rather do the MD they get all shady on me. Then they say "well become an RN, it's faster and the money is good"....nah no thanks, there aren't many jobs here anyway for new RNs


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[bkennedy]

I am a NP and feel completely unsatisfied and unfulfilled. I am starting pre-req's in the fall for med school.

I do get a lot of complex patients in my practice. However, I think NPS lack the knowledge to provide best care for these patients.

I work in a med peds practice so we get complicated children and adults.

If you want med school do it now before your change your mind when you are in NP school.