What is the difference between a physician and nurse practitioner?

If I’m not mistaken, a medical doctor receives more formal education than a nurse practitioner. An MD also does a residency and a nurse practitioner does not. It is like comparing a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner. The NP has more education than an RN. State laws dictate whether or not a NP can practice alone or must be affiliated with an MD. State laws also vary on the types of prescriptions NPs are allowed to write.

@Wine I’ve worked with both and have been totally satisfied with both. The office where I go is very thorough and I would say go by the practice rather than the title.

A nurse practitioner does not go to medical school, a physician does.

An NP usually becomes an RN and then goes on to get their Master’s. Semi-recently it became necessary for the MSN NPs to get their doctorate in order to practice as an NP, I believe. If that’s not a requirement yet, it may be soon.

So, NPs go through about 6–8 years of school and MDs go through more.

In practice, they both diagnose and treat patients, prescribe medication, etc. NPs practice mostly independently, but there is indirect supervision of an MD required.

I’m always surprised when people don’t know what a nurse practitioner is. I’m constantly seeing NPs – my last OBGYN was an NP, as are many of the practicioners at urgent care facilities.

About 100k a year in salary….unfortunately.

The difference is in level of education. Physicians have a college degree and then four years of medical school then an internship (one year) and finally a residency (depending on the medical specialty between three and eight years).

Nurse Practitioner’s have a master’s level degree (2–3 years after college).

physicians are bound by the oath “first do no harm” and are highly educated for many years while a NP takes a quickie course. If your issue is something mundane like a shot or sore throat, a NP is fine. If you have a choice, see a doctor-even a student doctor for womens health issues. I have had many problems with the NP’s at the free clinics. They push bad medicine and must be getting bonses to steer patients into certain directions. NP’s in those settings have serious attitudes about your own involvement in your treatment. they are full of bad attitude with nothing to back it up. For anything important, see a real doctor

I have t o correct the answer who says my last obgyn was a np- NOT POSSIBLE! an OBGYN is a real doctor and a NP is a nurse with a few extra classes.

@jtxl My NP was an OBGYN NP, as opposed to an OBGYN doctor. OBGYN is just the specialty. And just because you’ve had bad experiences with NPs doesn’t mean they’re all bad. The ones I’ve seen have been just as competent as their MD counterparts. In fact, the NP I saw at my last OBGYN practice was a better provider than the MD in the same practice who, like many MDs, had absolutely no bedside manner and was only interested in getting you in and out of his office as quickly as possible. I’ve had a lot of bad luck with MDs, but I didn’t conclude that “all they are is a NP with a few more classes.” That’s simply not true, and neither is your statement. It’s an opinion, that’s it.

Type of knowledge. Doctors got a deeper theoretical background on how the human body works.