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. Hazel Anderson became a full-time instructor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Austin, Texas, in 2017. Prior to this, she worked as adjunct faculty in gross anatomy, applied anatomy I and II, patient care management and therapeutic exercise courses. Hazel is originally from Zimbabwe and moved to Scotland to study physiotherapy. She graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2007 and moved to the United States in 2008. She went on to complete her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) through Texas Tech. She has lived and worked in Austin, Texas for the past 10 years. Hazel has worked in a variety of hospital and out-patient clinic settings but especially enjoys out-patient orthopedics and incorporating general wellness and health promotion within her sessions.
