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. Luedtke-Hoffmann holds an MBA and PhD in Physical Therapy emphasizing Administration. Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Luedtke-Hoffmann worked in a variety of rehabilitation settings in supervisory, management and administrative positions. Dr. Luedtke-Hoffmann has completed research and published on topics including leadership, administration, management and professionalism in physical therapy education, academic leadership and clinical management. In addition, she has been actively involved in the Section on Health Policy and Administration as a committee member, chair, and member of the Board of Directors for more than a decade. Dr. Luedtke-Hoffmann also served as the Treasurer for the Education Section of the APTA. Dr. Luedtke-Hoffmann also served the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Examiners as an item writer for the PT Examination and the Continuing Competency Assessment Tool, as well as completing a term on the Examination Development Committee. At the state level, Dr. Luedtke-Hoffmann a five-year appointment to the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.
