thenewguy8

Hi Goofeegirl, when you say physical medicine do you mean osteopathy / manipulation / injection / pain stuff? And CAM? I'm very interested in that field - do you find you are not able to contribute?

NPA, SOP? I'm not practicing yet - I'm applying to DE programs this fall, but I know that I would like to integrate OMM into my practice so I'm just trying to find out what hte options are. Sounds like its state-based?

Thanks for the response! Quick follow up: If out of school I were to practice with a DO who taught me OMM - would it be ethical for me to then offer it as part of my own independent practice were I to open one?

Still curious about this if anyone has any more information. Basically - is there an official certification process to be able to bill legally for OMM? Or can I just study with an osteopathic doctor and practice when I feel competant with the adjustments? Then, if there were ever a problem, site might training as the source of my legitimacy? I guess there's also a broader question here: as a licensed NP is there any problem 'prescribing' herbs or exercise or diets, etc. if I feel that is the best course of action? thanks!

This is great to hear. Does this supervised practice (which should absolutely happen anyway, legislation or not) have to happen in vermont? or could you have done 2 years in another state and move to Vermont and open your own clinic?

Skibum - regarding your comment: I have to say i never said to my self, "this is difficult". I worked hard, and some weeks were harder than others. I worked that hardest during the last two semesters of the program. But i can honestly say I wish I worked harder. I graduated with a 3.87 and I feel i wasn't pushed hard enough. But that falls on to my shoulders, not the schools, I could have worked harder. While I understand what you mean I think it is essential that the program be challenging enough that someone can't get a 3.87 withOUT working hard. That you could says to me that the program was not being creatively challenging. You mentioned you also took PA classes to supplement (something I want to do as well - wherever I go) which is great but the program YOU signed up for and YOU paid for should have been challenging enough to maintain YOUR undivided attention. No?

I think, more probably, Geriatric will dissapear and be consumed within Adult. At least that's what is happening at UCSF - there getting rid of their geriatric degree and lumping it into the Adult curriculum.

I'd love to know what you thought of the program in general - especially in comparison to any others you might have looked at? How rigorous did you find the education? How much fo the supposed 'fluff' that folks talk about did you find? Thanks!

That's a valuable point. Since NPs function as providers instead of support it is true that their role is fairly similar to doctors, etc. Certainly in many settings. I guess the question is: is the approach to that role different?

As a male who is looking into either an md/do program or FNP (want to do primary care), I have thought about this a lot. I think one of the biggest things males (read: me, at least) will face is their own internalized notions of nursing and the sexist messages of subservience that have been propagated from within and outside of the nursing profession. I like much of the nursing education model (though i also like aspects of the medical model), but I am struggling with the idea of introducing myself as a nurse. And this comes from someone who has done lots of radical political education work! amazing how thorough that socialization is! On the plus side I've always assumed being male would be a big perk for applying to schools.

I would actually offer an alternative viewpoint on the nursing model. I'm not a student yet, but am hoping to do a direct entry FNP program soon so this is based on my shadowing and research. I've found and heard that generally the medical model is much more reactionary as they deal with patients symptomatically (I'm talking primarily of primary care/chronic - it may be different in hospital settings/acute). They treat what is happening. the DO and nursing model seem to be more geared towards not just alleviating symptoms but actually finding the ROOT (which, in chronic stuff, can often be diet and lifestyle).

Well I don't have a state yet - I haven't even applied for programs yet. I'm looking to find out where an NP might go to get this training and then, as you said, where is it practice-able.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, a hands-on technique-set that works in ways similar to chiropractors and cranial-sacral therapists. And more.

So today I shadowed an amazing DO in NH. She has her own practice and is VERY alternative while also fully working with pharmas and traditional patients. Anyway, she uses OMM all the time (i saw her adjust the cranial bones of a 3 week old infant with a slightly deformed skull and it was amazing). I got into medicine through Massage Therapy and have always wanted to learn OMM. She said MDs and NPs and PAs can get certified in OMM and even bill for it just like she does. Does anyone know how that happens? where does one go and what does 'certified' mean? thanks!

Anyone know how the Northwest and the Northeast are? Portland / Seatle area and also New Hampshire, Vermont, Conneticut, Rhode Island, etc.

Wow this is pretty worrisome to hear as a prospective NP student (id be applying this summer for 2012 start). Think we can list what areas of the country are glutted and which have opportunities?

OP - I have been on the exact same soul-search. I graduated with a BA in 2007 in a completely non-applicable liberal arts field (though very interesting), and have done LOTS of stuff since then. One thing I did was become a massage therapist and when i sat in on my first anatomy course i was HOOKED. totally blown away. So I started looking at ways to work with more pathology, more anatomy, more pathophys, etc. Eventually i decided on NP, DO, or DC. I'm still deciding, but I've basically ruled out DO/MD. Why? Lifestyle, mostly. I love education - I love school and I love knowing EVERYTHING about what I study. But the MD/DO system means 4years of crazy med school followed by 3-5 years of 90 hours/week residency followed by a job that is usually 60-80 hours/week. I'm almost 27, I wouldn't be starting Med school til I was 29, then my residency when I'm 33 - and I hope to be starting a family some time in my early to mid thirties, so the timing doesn't make too much sense. Plus - I do other things in my life. I love to travel, I love to do art and acrobatics and other fun things that take time. I saw the MD/DO path as fulfilling some things in my life, but leaving others empty, and I'm choosing to have a more well-rounded life. But it is HARD to give up that ego-centric idea. Trust me, I get it. I struggle with the thought every day as I make my way through pre reqs. I'm mostly worried about fluffy education instead of intense science-based courses which im so interested in. I think the key is finding a program that is known for being very rigorous. There are a lot of fluffy programs out there - but there are also ones that are very well respected and don't screw around. Seek those out.

Would anyone mind actually listing these programs? I'm not sure what the 1st tier schools are for NP. I'm also particularly interested in the direct entry NP programs that are not fluff. - would it be the same list and just finding the ones there that offered DE options? Thanks!

Thank you Kanzi, that was very encouraging. What track did you take, working surgery? I'll be doing FNP with the goal of working primary care.

I'm confused...i thought compensation for NPs was pretty good? And that it was certainly on par with PA's (with regional fluctuation)? I'm also surprised to hear comments about NPS just being doctor lackeys....everything else I read indicates the exact opposite. Was this comment referring specifically to certain settings, like ICU's or academic in-patient?

I'm looking at direct entry NP programs for FNP (with the slight possibility of psych NP....but probably family). I know that for DE NP programs there are only about 50 in the country, and I would only be interested in programs either around the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, Oregon, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts or thereabouts. There are still LOTS of programs to choose from in those areas - are there any reviews or rankings out there?

Well this is good to hear. I guess, if anything, the responses that I read make me realize the very real limitations in the education of NP programs (DE NP, specifically). I'm still excited about the opportunities but I'm planning to augment the regimented education with pre-medical science courses and as much clinical as I can manage to stuff in.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Question - do you think this negativity is directed more at DE NP programs and not the NP field in general? I'm considering a DE program - I have no prior nursing experience (I'm working as a medical scribe now, and will have 1.5 years of that under my belt before the program begins). I totally understand the criticism of the DE NP programs and have fears there myself in terms of sufficient education. I plan to be proactive there by taking lots of pre-medical science courses before my program begins, and seeking as much clinical training opportunities as I can.

So as I've been winding my way through the decision-making process of NP/PA/MD/DO I found myself at a very active forum community of medical students/professionals/etc. across all parts of the field. I learned LOTS when i was specifically researching what was needed for the medical school process. (I removed the name of the forum due to an administrator PM I got) I did a search of the term "nurse practitioner" within their forums to get a sense of the thoughts on the field from that angle... Wow! I was not prepared for the amount of negativity and vitriol I saw. Most of what I read was very damning of the NP field (specifically in regards to the progression of NPs to have scopes similar to MD/DOs and independent practice rights). Is this the feeling everywhere? I'm excited about the opportunity to practice primary care medicine in a primary care clinic without the massive sacrifices of MD/DO school. But I sort of get the sense that NP's are becoming pariahs. Now I know this is just an internet forum, but I wondered if practicing NPs or NP students were getting a similar impression? Thanks!

Hello all, I'm interested in pursuing an NP degree. Having a very hard time making the NP/PA/MD/DO decision because of all the surrounding circumstances. Anyway - one thing that interested me with the NP degree was the availability of lateral movement within the field. I heard that there were certifications one could get which would allow them to gain extra knowledge with specific conditions. Is that correct? I had heard, for example, that there were certifications on alternative medicine that would give NPs greater knowledge of nutrition and alternative medical options. Can anyone point me to more information about all of this?