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
Dawn Werling
Vice President of Student Administration
Dawn Werling joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2018 as project manager for the University’s change of ownership transition and was appointed interim lead of Student Administration in April 2019. During both assignments, she effectively advanced key organizational initiatives and student imperatives leveraging her deep higher education experience and demonstrating strong judgement and commitment. In September 2019, Werling was named Vice President of Student Administration, leading USAHS’ admissions, student advising, disability services, financial aid, registrar, the Writing Center, career services and student events.
With more than 22 years of experience in higher education, Werling has served in numerous operational leadership positions, including Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Operations, during which she oversaw all student and administrative functions, developed and launched new programs, and planned and opened numerous new campuses. Prior to her career in higher education, she served as an Ordnance Officer in the U.S. Army, where she worked in operations, training and logistics before retiring. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from Regents College and Master of Accountancy from the University of Iowa.
