[alex_sf]

> curiously they had and still have extremely negative opinions of medical paraprofessionals like PAs and NPs

This isn't entirely unfounded. There are real concerns over replacing MDs with mid-levels with much less training. The AMA is significantly to blame for the switch, but as a general rule I won't see PA/NPs for anything beyond prescription refills or something like that.

[alistairSH]

But that routine care is a good case for PAs/NPs. Pulling blood once and year and refilling my inhaler doesn’t require any speciality knowledge that only an MD would have. Most people shouldn’t have any reason to avoid one for their annual check or treating a run-of-the-mill illness.

[alex_sf]

Even that is arguable; I'd rather see an MD for an annual physical. It seems like a routine thing to people not in the medical field, but there are a ton of little things that are checked and could be caught early. I'd rather have an actual doctor performing it.