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.

	Nurse practitioner, midwife or anesthetist	Physician assistant	Registered nurse
Training	Nursing degree and license, then a master's degree	College, then a master's degree	A bachelor's degree is most common, and associate's routes exist
Education cost	Not verified yet. Costs vary widely by program, so compare them directly.	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	$134,920	$135,880	$97,550
Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035	36%	21%	6%
Patient contact	Direct	Direct	Direct, and the most hours at the bedside
The work, and AI 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	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 patients and recording symptomsInsufficient evidence Watching for sudden declineNarrow use or authorization Giving medicine and treatmentsInsufficient evidence Teaching patients and familiesInsufficient evidence Coordinating with the care teamInsufficient evidence
Skills that transfer	Nursing foundation, Clinical judgment, Patient education, Leadership	Clinical reasoning, Moving across specialties, Procedures, Communication	Clinical observation, Physical care, Advancing to practitioner roles, Teaching
What nobody has measured	How state scope of practice laws will move. These roles may face their own automation pressure, which no one has measured well.	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 AI affects nurse staffing ratios. How much AI documentation helps nurses as opposed to physicians.

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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