Nurse Practitioner vs. Doctor: Why Become an NP?
Written by:
University of Tulsa
• May 20, 2026
According to projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the United States will face a shortage of up to 86,000 medical doctors by 2036. This lack of available care is likely to have devastating consequences for patients, particularly those in underserved communities, which are already feeling the strain of the growing shortage.
Current registered nurses (RNs), as well as individuals considering making a career change to nursing, can help address this gap. By earning an advanced degree such as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and becoming a nurse practitioner, they can serve as primary care providers to families and individuals. There’s a great deal of overlap in the roles of nurse practitioners and doctors in primary care today, though their career paths are widely different.
What Does a Nurse Practitioner Do?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). APRNs are registered nurses with advanced education that allows them to expand their scope of practice and take on more responsibility for patients’ medical care.
As with doctors, some NPs provide specialty care, and some provide primary care to patients, depending on their educational specialization. They typically provide primary care to a certain population of people, such as family nurse practitioners who care for patients of all ages in a family, or pediatric nurse practitioners who focus on caring for children.
Key duties of primary care nurse practitioners include:
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Recording patients’ medical histories and vital signs
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Performing physical exams to check patients’ health
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Diagnosing health conditions in patients
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Ordering diagnostic tests for patients
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Creating care plans for patients
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Educating patients and their families on ways to improve their health
What Does a Doctor Do?
Medical doctors, also known as physicians, are professionals who manage the health care of patients. Some physicians specialize in a particular field of practice, such as cardiologists who focus on heart health and dermatologists who focus on skin health, while others, such as family medicine physicians, are generalists and work as primary care providers.
Primary care doctors work with families and individuals to diagnose their illnesses, prescribe their treatment plans, and monitor their care and overall health. Key duties of primary care doctors include:
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Taking patients’ medical histories
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Ordering diagnostic tests from other physicians and specialists
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Diagnosing health conditions in patients
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Recommending and implementing patients’ treatment plans
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Answering patients’ questions on their health and well-being
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Promoting patients’ health by teaching them healthy habits
How Are Nurse Practitioners and Doctors Similar?
Many of the daily responsibilities of nurse practitioners and doctors working in primary care overlap. Both nurse practitioners and doctors encourage their patients to adopt healthy behaviors, diagnose patients’ ailments, and ensure they have access to the tests and treatment they need.
While their full scope of practice varies by state, nurse practitioners in some states have full practice authority to not only diagnose patients but also manage their treatment, including prescribing medication and controlled substances, just as a medical doctor can.
Other states have restrictions on the practice authority of nurse practitioners, which allow them to still fulfill many of the same duties as a doctor, but under the supervision of a licensed physician.
How Do Nurse Practitioners and Doctors Differ?
While both nurse practitioners and doctors need to have completed certain higher education requirements to qualify for their roles, those requirements differ significantly. Nurse practitioners and doctors are similar in that their occupations are expected to see job growth in the coming years, but the projected job growth rate for each is markedly different.
Education and Experience
To qualify for the role, aspiring nurse practitioners need to have at least a master’s degree in their specialty, which also requires them to already have a registered nursing (RN) license before starting their degree program. Some schools require the RN to also have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but other schools offer more flexibility. Earning a master’s degree in nursing typically takes about two to four years, with some schools offering accelerated programs that take under two years.
While it is possible to become a nurse practitioner with a master’s degree alone, many nurse practitioners also find value in earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Completing a DNP program typically takes about three years.
In comparison, schooling to become a medical doctor takes much longer. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree, which may not be needed to become a nurse practitioner, aspiring physicians need to earn either a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, each of which takes four years. From there, they need to complete three to nine years in internship and residency programs, as well as potentially gain additional training in their specialization.
Required Certifications
To become a nurse practitioner, individuals need to pass a certification exam, with the most popular options being the family nurse practitioner certification (FNP-BC) exam from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the family NP, adult-gerontology NP, and emergency NP certification exams from the Accreditation Board of Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC).
To become a medical doctor, individuals need to have completed all of the educational requirements and obtained licensure from their state licensing board, which typically involves passing standardized national exams. For instance, to become a family medicine physician, they must pass the family medicine certification exam from the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).
Become a Nurse Practitioner With TU
Today’s nurse practitioners have greater practice authority than in the past, largely due to the growing need for more primary care providers. While nurse practitioners and doctors can both work in primary care, they have a shorter path to career advancement than doctors.
By enrolling in the online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at The University of Tulsa (TU), registered nurses can prepare for the next stage of their careers. The program offers flexibility to adult students, with fully online classes and the ability to complete practicum hours with a local preceptor. Through classes that teach skills in epidemiology, pharmacology, and diagnostic reasoning, students come away ready to be nurse practitioners who can provide primary care to patients who need it.
Earn your DNP with TU.
Recommended Readings
Why Become a Nurse Practitioner: 5 Reasons
Can Nurse Practitioners Prescribe Medication?
APRN vs. NP: Is There a Difference?
Sources:
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board
American Association of Nurse Practitioners, State Practice Environment
American Board of Family Medicine, Become Certified
American Medical Association, “What’s the Difference Between Physicians and Nurse Practitioners?”
American Nurses Credentialing Center, Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (FNP-BC)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners
