What are nurse practitioners? Are they different from doctors?

• Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses with extra training.
• NPs can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and manage patient care.
• Doctors (MDs/DOs) complete medical school and residency, which requires more years of training.
• Both NPs and doctors focus on patient health, but their training and scope of practice differ.

What Is a Nurse Practitioner?

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has gone through advanced education and training, usually earning at least a master’s degree or doctorate in nursing. NPs are licensed to provide many of the same services as doctors, such as:

• Performing physical exams.

• Ordering and interpreting tests.

• Prescribing medications.

• Managing chronic illnesses.

In many states, nurse practitioners can work independently without a doctor’s supervision. In others, they may need to collaborate with a physician.

👉 For more details, see the American Medical Association.

How Are They Different From Doctors?

While NPs and doctors both provide medical care, the main differences are in their training and depth of study.

• Doctors (MDs and DOs): Complete four years of medical school after college, followed by 3–7 years of residency training. This means they typically train for 11–15 years before practicing independently.

• Nurse Practitioners: Complete nursing school (usually a Bachelor of Science in Nursing), work as registered nurses, and then pursue advanced degrees (master’s or doctorate). Most NPs complete about 6–8 years of total education and training.

Doctors often specialize in complex cases or surgery, while NPs usually focus on primary care, family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, and chronic disease management.

👉 Learn more from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: BLS – Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners.

Working Together

In practice, doctors and nurse practitioners often work as a team. For example, in a clinic, a patient might see an NP for routine checkups or ongoing management of conditions like diabetes, while a doctor may step in for specialized or complex care.

Patients benefit because NPs often spend more time on patient education and preventive care, while doctors provide expertise in highly specialized treatments.

👉 The American Medical Association explains physician vs. nurse practitioner roles here.

The Bottom Line

Nurse Practitioners and doctors both play important roles in healthcare. NPs bring strong nursing experience and a focus on whole-patient care, while doctors bring more extensive training for complex medical cases. Many patients see both at different times in their care, and both professions are essential in meeting today’s healthcare needs.