Nurse Practitioner vs. Physician Assistant?

Good evening! Today's post is going to briefly discuss the similarities and differences between nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). Both jobs are extremely similar but it is important to understand the distinctions between the two. I learned a lot of information regarding two occupations in one of my PA classes that I took at Duquesne.


Both occupations are generally able to, but not always:

• diagnose and treat patients 
• prescribe different medications 
• preform medical studies, screenings, and vaccinations
• have access to the medical histories of patients

Additionally, both PAs and NPs work alongside different kinds of doctors. This is not always the case, however, because some PAs or NPs can work in their own independent businesses. 

A large difference, however, between the two is that NPs usually pick a specific area of medicine in which they would like to work in. This may be pediatrics, oncology, geriatrics, cardiology, etc. They will therefore have a in-depth understanding and education about their specialty specifically. PAs can also choose specialties. They, however, usually have a more general medical background and can move around in specialities more easily. This, of course, is not always the case because some PAs can become very specialized in an area of medicine and never move out of that specialty. 

Another difference can be seen in the way that nurse practitioners and physician assistants generally interact with patients. NPs are usually more holistic with their care, with helping treat the mental and lifestyle problems of their patients as well. PAs often take more of a more straightforward approach with patients in the context of diagnosing and treating the patient's medical problems by just looking at the systems of the body (immune system, digestive system, etc.). 

There are many more similarities and differences between the two occupations, but I thought that discussing a few of them would be a good overview. It is very important for me to understand these similarities and differences as I enter the workforce because I will most likely be working with NPs.

Thanks again for reading and have a great night,

-Meredith