Now that we have pretty thoroughly discussed the training of Nurse Practitioners, I would like to reiterate that I, personally, would not care to have a NP as my primary care provider. Where I get my care, there is an MD who is my primary care provider. There are a few NPs in that same practice. If I call for an appointment with my MD and he is booked up for quite a while, I have the option of seeing a NP. There is usually an NP who is available right away. So I have taken that option when I wanted to get seen right away. I'm fine with that. I get seen quickly, but I know that I can always eventually see my MD, if I feel I want to. Right now I have an appointment to see an NP for a pap test. My MD simply doesn't do pap tests. He turns that job over to the NP who is advanced certified in women's health. I'm fine with that. Doing a PAP test is something that any bright person can be trained to do. It's a technical skill.

I don't mind NP's having technical responsibilities, like performing PAP tests. But I'm not having any diagnosis of mine made by an NP. I will always insist on an MD for that. I am a nurse, myself, and I see that NPs are often not in the same league as MDs in terms of education . . . and, quite frankly, in terms of I.Q. They are trained to follow decision trees . . . not so well trained to do independent, critical thinking.