# The almost Doctor will see you now



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Her it comes . This will turn out to be 1 real Doctor will have 20-30 students working for him . PA have filled a need for many years. A program started by the Army . In the civilian world their use was limited and controlled. Now all bets are off the flood gates are being opened.
Missouri to allow med-school grads to work as assistant physicians | Fox News


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## Themedicalprepper (Feb 17, 2016)

I like what you said about "real Doctor". After I got out of NP school and started treating patient's in a clinic / emergency department where the doctors weren't that accessible and I was kind of on my own, I realized that doctors have SO much more training than we do. We (and PA's) get advanced pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology, advanced assessment, courses on specific body systems, microbiology, biochemistry, etc. But doctors get so much more detail in med school. I've asked myself a few times why I didn't just go to med school. But, the foundation of what we're all taught is the same (though the detail may not be). I'm comfortable diagnosing and treating most illnesses, and emergencies are pretty cut and dry because of my experience. But I would never (nor should any PA or NP) feel comfortable stepping into the role of a specialist. That's where I think the line should be drawn. We don't have enough training.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Its not rocket science....

lol - I had 13 weeks of Army Medical training to be a combat medic... my overall goal was always to treat the minor things..and for the big things.. keep them alive/ stabilize them until they could see a doctor...get to a hospital

for the folks that have past school but not had residence yet... i think it is a good idea to have them in rural areas... they have years of education... if they now their limits and have a doctor to call for edvise or referals.. why not


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Around here nurse practitioners do all the real work in the clinics. The doctors are only there to write scripts that the nurses aren't allowed to issue. I have a lot of respect for those people.


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## turbo6 (Jun 27, 2014)

Depending on where you live, many PAs and NPs can treat and prescribe, and do it damn well.

It's no substitute for a specialist, but for the basics I've had many great PAs over the years.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

I've seen a bunch of PA's hacking medicine at little Quack-Shack / Doc-In-The-Box "Urgent care" facilities. My experience has been so bad that I avoid Urgent Care all together suck it up and wait for YOUR doc or go to the ER. Urgent Care in AZ is a scam. Charge more, give less, and make you wait an eternity in a waiting room with the extras from TWD.

Ironically enough, I picked my PCP doc because I found hunting and NRA mags in the waiting room. He turned out to be a PA who got his experience in the service and then working an ambulance (Chicago I think) then came down to AZ to start a practice. He is by far the BEST health care provider I have ever had. He's a quick, no BS, not pussyfooting around the issue kind of guy. And if my issue ever exceeds his ability legally, he calls in a doc in the practice and they confer. Usually my PA gets what he wants and the doc signs off on it. My only fear is that he'll retire soon and I'll have to find another good doc like him.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

In Ohio, . . . a nurse practitioner is almost a doctor.

He/she can prescribe meds, . . . order tests, . . . all that stuff, . . . but has to do it under a licensed Dr.

It's a good system far as I'm concerned, . . . like anything else, . . . there will be good ones, . . . bad ones, . . . 

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

PA's have their place. The Army has used them for a long time. But they should not be used as they are now a back door primary doctor.


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