There was a nursing shortage before COVID, made worse by corporate medical groups replacing physicians w/ nurse practitioners which incentivized RNs to rush thru NP school, often online and w/ very little standardization and 500 clinical hrs vs. 15,000 min for physicians. 1/4 https://twitter.com/suburbanbella/status/1351021235979870212

So, where does that leave us? Imagine the absurdity of asking to re-train in nursing. Why re-train? Because nurses practice nursing & physicians practice medicine. They are equally important, but separate fields. And we still have a physician shortage. And a nursing shortage. 2/4

The govt funds residency spots. We graduate 3-4K physicians a year who don’t match in residency and are unemployable. In San Antonio, only 1 out of 12 ER residents have jobs lined up for July 1. Wonder if they’ll make enough as RNs to pay off their $200-500K med school loans. 3/4

Our whole system needs to be reformed. It takes 11 yr minimum to make a physician & right now, even in a pandemic, there is no guarantee they’ll match in residency or have a job when they come out. Our population isn’t getting any younger or healthier. We’re a decade behind. 4/4