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
Dr. Chris Dickerson earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. Dr. Dickerson is currently completing his Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy at Bellin College in Green Bay, WI.
After practicing primarily in an outpatient orthopedic setting, he became a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedics (OCS) through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). He completed a three-year fellowship in orthopedic manual physical therapy through the educational institution Evidence in Motion, becoming a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). Dr. Dickerson has experience in outpatient orthopedic, inpatient rehabilitation and chronic pain management settings, as well as holding several administrative roles.
Dr. Dickerson joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2021 as an Assistant Professor on the Austin, TX campus. He also teaches continuing education courses related to manual therapy, musculoskeletal management, clinical reasoning and pain science. His primary research interests lie in the psycho-social-behavioral factors that contribute to musculoskeletal pain, particularly sleep, diet, stress management and exercise.
Dr. Dickerson has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) since 2009, an Orthopedic section member since 2012, an Education section member since 2019 and a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) since 2015.
