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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 16, 2026

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PAs probably fit the role designed better. Nurse practitioners have more variety in the standards of their training programs and can operate totally independently in many states which seems to be going to far to me.

It's worth noting that PAs do get a somewhat condensed version of the physician curriculum, but NPs do not actually learn regular medicine.

That sounds ridiculous and it is. It should also stress you out and if it does, good.

It doesn't. I would much rather have half a doctor than no doctor. Specially when I am not legally allowed to buy any useful medicine without a prescription.

The day when MDs and PAs are so numerous that they are working for minimum wage and you can find one on every street corner is the day when I agree that NPs should be held to a higher standard. Until then, I am in favor of anything that increases the supply of healthcare.

This sounds good until you create more work by being incompetent. Psychiatric NPs are famous for doing this by putting patients on unsafe medication regimens that increase total burden to the system.