So one problem with a nurse -> MD career track is that they are just fundamentally different roles. It's not (just) number of years of schooling, but what they

So one problem with a nurse -> MD career track is that they are just fundamentally different roles. It's not (just) number of years of schooling, but what they study. Nurses don't do diagnoses or prescriptions, and don't receive much if any formal training in those areas. So I'm doubtful you can make up that difference with just on the job training (though doctors who were once nurses might be better doctors). That said, I think that a RN -> NP career track with some kind of "executive NP" program (analogous to "executive MBA"), followed by supervision under an MD and eventually graduating to full autonomy, is an interesting idea.