Careers, task by task

Don't ask about the job. Ask about the tasks.

There's no risk score here, because no honest one exists. Instead, 14 routesbroken into the actual work, with what's verified about AI in each task, and a plain "insufficient evidence" where there's nothing solid.

Physician specialties (MD, DO)

Family medicineCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$244,180
PediatricsCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$210,040
PsychiatryCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$281,870
RadiologyCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$420,860
PathologyCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$312,400
DermatologyCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years
SurgeryCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$414,010
AnesthesiologyCollege, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years$391,490

Other routes to the same mission

Three selected, the most we compare at once.

Side by side

Not ranked. Which one is better depends on what you want from your work.

	Family medicine	Physician assistant	Nurse practitioner, midwife or anesthetist
Training	College, four years of medical school, then a residency of 3 or more years	College, then a master's degree	Nursing degree and license, then a master's degree
Education cost	Median four-year cost of attendance $286,454 public, $390,848 private, in-state, Class of 2025 (AAMC). Your school can differ a lot.	Not verified yet. Costs vary widely by program, so compare them directly.	Not verified yet. Costs vary widely by program, so compare them directly.
Today's median pay	$244,180	$135,880	$134,920
Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035	3%	21%	36%
Patient contact	Direct, over years	Direct	Direct
The work, and AI today	Taking histories and examining patientsInsufficient evidence Writing notes and chartingIn real use today Screening for diabetic eye diseaseNarrow use or authorization Renewing prescriptionsNarrow use or authorization Drafting replies to patient messagesIn real use today Managing several chronic conditions over yearsInsufficient evidence Building trust across a lifetime of careInsufficient evidence	Taking histories and examining patientsInsufficient evidence Ordering and interpreting testsInsufficient evidence Diagnosing and prescribingInsufficient evidence Setting fractures and closing woundsInsufficient evidence Teaching patients and familiesInsufficient evidence Writing notes and chartingIn real use today	Assessing and diagnosingInsufficient evidence Renewing prescriptionsNarrow use or authorization Delivering babies or giving anesthesia, in those rolesInsufficient evidence Long-term patient relationshipsInsufficient evidence Writing notes and chartingIn real use today
Skills that transfer	Clinical reasoning, Communication, Population health, Care coordination	Clinical reasoning, Moving across specialties, Procedures, Communication	Nursing foundation, Clinical judgment, Patient education, Leadership
What nobody has measured	Whether AI triage reduces visits or uncovers more need. How panel sizes and pay change as routine contact automates.	Whether AI support widens what these roles do, or lets fewer clinicians cover more patients. Verified program costs, compared with the income they lead to.	How state scope of practice laws will move. These roles may face their own automation pressure, which no one has measured well.

Pay and growth are May 2025 medians and 2025 to 2035 projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a snapshot and not a forecast. Open a route to see the source behind each task.

Test your debt against these

Sources last checked November 6, 2026

Next review by February 6, 2027.

What changed, and how we decide

Career guidance, not medical, legal or financial advice. For a major loan or licensing decision, talk with a qualified professional, and bring your questions from here.

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