Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are advanced healthcare practitioners with similar responsibilities, such as diagnosing illnesses and prescribing medications. However, their training and paths toward certification differ in significant ways. This blog post unpacks the key differences between NPs and PAs to help you determine which career path best aligns with your goals. What Is a Nurse Practitioner? A nurse practitioner (NP) is a licensed clinician who provides comprehensive healthcare to patients of all ages. An NP can work in virtually any healthcare setting, diagnosing patient conditions and prescribing medications. As of October 2022, nurse practitioners have full practice authority in 27 states, meaning that they can practice Read more
Cherie Peters-Brinkerhoff, PT, EDD, MPT, MHA, C/NDT
Program Director, DPT Program—San Marcos, CA Campus
Dr. Cherie Peters-Brinkerhoff joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) San Marcos, CA campus in 2008. A graduate of Loma Linda University in California in 1978, Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff received her NDT certification in 1996 for Pediatrics. She completed her advanced master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1998 from Loma Linda University in California, her master’s in Healthcare Administration in 2007 from Webster University and her doctorate in Education from Walden University in 2014.
Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association. She has advanced certificates in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), hippotherapy and a vast experience in treating neurologic diagnoses for pediatrics and adults. Prior to joining USAHS, her teaching experience included faculty adjunct positions with Loma Linda University and Western University, and as the Regional Trainer for Invacare Wheelchair Corporation.
As the Program Director for the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at the San Marcos, CA campus, Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff offers a wealth of experience in administration and business. In the past she has been Director of Rehabilitation Services at Promise Hospital, Cottonwood Canyon Health Care Services and Select Rehab Services, as well as the rehab supervisor at Scripps Mercy Hospital and Allied Rehab Services. She also owns her own private practice, Gentle Hands Physical Therapy.
Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff has presented several poster presentations and had her research Perspectives on Teaching Physical Therapy Students the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Model published in the Journal of Allied Health in 2016. History of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health was published in the NDTA Network in 2016. Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff is continuing her work in educational research and currently working on educational methods in anatomy.
