Can an NP be as effective as an MD in the developing world.

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  1. Is an MD or NP a more helpful person in the developing world.Consider degree recognit

    • 3
      NP will let you help more.
    • 8
      MD will let you help more.
    • 8
      Both paths will be equally helpful in different ways.

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Hi, I am about 25 days away from starting nursing school at UCLA.

My only goal in life is to work in the developing world in a healthcare setting where I am reaching as many people as possible and being as practical as possible with the aid I deliver. As my school start days comes closer, I am finally having second thoughts about continuing with the program. I want to eventually beocome a nurse practioner but my main concerns come from the idea that my degree as an NP will not be well recognized in many places in the developing world.

I am confident that I could make it through med school if I chose to but I could also begin work much sooner if I become a nurse. My question to everyone who reads this is "Do you think I should become an MD or an NP if I want to be able to have the greatest impact in the developing world." Please only answer if you believe you are qualified to.

Thank you so much.

- a very stressed out student

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I think you should go with whichever one you feel more closely connected to. I don't know if I'm "qualified" to answer, really, but I guess I will anyway. NPs and MDs do different things a lot of the time. They are both extremely valuable. And in developing countries with limited access to medical professionals and people with anything more than basic health knowledge, they are both very needed. I live in a semi-developed country at the moment (Jordan, not doing health-related work), and even though we have doctors and nurses and all kinds of things here, I still see the need for basic medical knowledge. In countries with less education than Jordan, it's even more critical.

Organizations like Doctors Without Borders, for example, recruits all kinds of medical professionals for a reason - they need all different kinds. Having just one kind or another won't cover as many situations.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

It does appear that Doctors Without Borders recruit APN's (CRNA, NP, CNM):

Work in the Field - Doctors Without Borders

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