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. Katherine Wilford is an assistant professor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Austin, Texas. She teaches in the biomechanics and musculoskeletal track. Dr. Wilford is in the dissertation phase of the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences. For her dissertation, Dr. Wilford will seek to explore the correspondence between sociocultural factors and sensorimotor control. In 2017, she received the USAHS Board of Directors faculty award in “Excellence in Teaching.” She became a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy in July 2016.
