PA's and NP's are sort of becoming the new GP's. WAY less schooling and training than a traditional doctor, make it cheaper and quicker to get into the medical field as someone who diagnoses and treats patients. They are also cheaper to pay than an MD or DO, making them more attractive to treat the masses and letting the Docs become more specialized.
That being said, an ER NP missed my wife's softball size tumor the first 3 times we went there in the course of 36 hours. I had to demand a CT scan because I wasn't going to allow her to be sent home again to "ride out the flu". They apologized profusely after they sent her to a larger, more medically advanced hospital an hour away via ambulance.
Pay can obviously vary depending on where you are, but NPs and PAs can make a quite comfortable living. Pay is less than a MD/DO in the majority, but again, it depends on your location and specialty. I sort of think of NP/PA as a Masters in medicine, whereas a physician has a doctorate. I'm fine with them giving inoculations, treating sprains, cough/colds, poison ivy, that sort of thing and leaving the heavy lifting to the physicians.
RNs are the salt of the medical profession. It takes a special person to do that job. They are the boots on the ground who see most of the patient interaction. They are also the doc's eyes and ears. There is always a demand for them and the pay is generally good. Add a Masters and you can do very well.
