A few years ago my post on physician extenders and their role in medicine got quite a few comments. Most of them from angry nurse practitioners and physician assistants who didn't agree and took particular glee in noting my spelling errors.
The truth is my feelings have somewhat changed. I guess it's all about percentages. Both the top and the bottom five percent of primary care practitioners, from a quality perspective, are probably MDs. Most physician extenders, as well as physicians, fall somewhere inbetween.
I guess my problem is that I expect all MDs to be part of that top five percent (and strive myself to reach that goal). But that's not reality.
My expectations in the past were so high that I was very unaccepting of those who tried to practice the same medicine but with less training.
However, as I get older and encounter our medical system as a patient, family member, and even consumer I realize that many MDs don't live up to my (unrealistic?) hopes.
So I give up.
A message to all nurse practitioners and physician assistants....
You want to practice primary care without overview?
You want my job?
Go for it...the floor is yours.
But one question still remains.
Why ever would you want to do something so hard....so all consuming... and so frustrating...with less training and for less money?
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