Nurse Practitioner / Physician Assistant?!
Question: What's the difference ? Which has more training ? who "outranks" the other one ? why do people go this far and not go on and get their MD degree ?
What's a good resource to find info on training for these jobs ?
Answers: What's the difference ? Which has more training ? who "outranks" the other one ? why do people go this far and not go on and get their MD degree ?
What's a good resource to find info on training for these jobs ?
I am a PA working in Birmingham, AL at UAB Hospital's Trauma Department. Here is my 2 cents on the difference.
PAs and NPs ultimately fall under the scope of "Physician Extenders". Meaning that they are "arms" of the physicians they work for. Depending on the setting they are used, NPs can work alone without MD supervision. The NPs I work with still have to be assigned to a MD, much like myself and the other PAs. We all can write prescriptions, order diagnostic studies, do consults, etc.
The main difference (as someone eluded to earlier) is NPs practice medicine under the nursing model, while PAs practice medicine under the physician model. Both equally good, just different.
Most PA programs require a 4 year BS in a health related field along with patient contact hours prior to application. NPs, I believe, must have been practicing nurses before getting their NP degree. Also, both programs are similar in length, PA is 2.5 years for masters and I believe NP is the same. So both very similar requirements.
Neither out ranks the other because both speak for the MD.
My input in choosing between the two is that, in my experience, MDs prefer PAs because they are both trained in similar models of medicine and relate well to each other. Again, just my experience.
A good website for learing more about PAs is the American Association of Physician Assistants, www.aapa.org. There are links to schools, questions about the profession, etc.
I hope this helps.
That's like asking which is higher ranked, crap or poo? Maybe the don't "go on" and get their MD because it takes about 12 years of schooling to get a MD.
Nurse practitioner pulls "rank". It requires more schooling and hands on experience, but also more on the job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners can do exams, give diagnoses, and write prescriptions under the care of an MD. Physicians assistants take the vitals of a patient, ask questions and get a medical history and help with office work.
What NP's and PA's are able to do vary by state. In many states NP's are able to prescribe medications and work independently after a probation period (usually 2 years), while PA's must always be supervised by a doctor. There are advantages to not being a doc such as less time in school, and more specialized training, also malpractice insurance is often less. Both PA and NP are normally at least 2 years of post bachelors level education.
nurse practitioners have to be a registered nurse for 2 yrs b4 the can get their license. you can become a pa just by going to pa school. neither outranks the other. people may choose them b/c they want to do more hands on care with patients or they may not have the money for med school.
Well in terms of not getting an MD degree: A physician assistant degree is a 2-year degree, as opposed to an MD degree, which is a 4-year. So even if a person got a physician assistant degree, they'd still have at least 4 more years of schooling left if they wanted an MD/DO degree.
In terms of the difference: one difference is that P.A's practice medicine under the supervision of a doctor, while N.P.'s practice advanced nursing, as opposed to medicine.
Second, there is a difference in the educational requirements and job functions. As I said, a P.A. degree is a 2-year degree, while a nurse practioner degree is awarded to people who have already obtained a basic nursing degree and have gone on to obtain a Master's degree (generally speaking, its a Masters, though not always). Also, N.P.'s generally work in collaboration with a physician, while P.A.'s work under the supervision of a physician. Also, N.P.'s can provide certain services and do certain things that a P.A. cannot, so the N.P's scope of practice is different than a P.A.
Difference/Outranking:
there isn't much difference between a nurse practicioner and a physician assistant. sometimes when a hospital lists a job opening they say either a nurse practicioner or physician assistant can apply for the same position. the major difference is that only a nurse practicioner can specialize in a field such as pediatrics or intensive care. other than that the differences are minimal and vary by state. since they're so similiar neither outranks the other.
Training:
Who has more training can definately vary. Again, they're pretty much equivalent. both professions require a masters degree. to become a nurse practicioner most people get a bachelors degree in nursing and then a masters degree in nursing (which takes about 2 years). however, you can also become nurse practicioner if you have a bachelors degree in another field. if you have a bachelors degree in a field other than nursing you can enter into a direct-entry nurse practicioners programs (which allow you to become a nurse practicioner after an extended nurse practicioner program). or if you have a bachelors degree in a field other than nursing you could also can get an accelerated bachelors degree in nursing (the shortest programs are 12 months) and then apply to a nurse practicioner program. either of these options for ppl w/ a degree in another field would be about the same length.
to become a physician assistant you need to have a bachelors degree in science before you can apply to physician assitant programs. physician assistant programs are about 3 years. most physician assistant programs like to see some healthcare education/experiance though (such as being an emt)
Why not MD:
their degrees don't give them a short cut. they still have to follow the same cirriculum for med school that all students do. also, their degrees may not give them the pre-reqs for med school. for example, med school requires a lot of chem that degrees such as nursing don't have.