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
Lacey Sims earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Sims began her career in acute care at a level one trauma center and later transitioned to outpatient working with both neuro and orthopedic patients. In 2015, she earned her Certification of Hand Therapy and has been working primarily with orthopedic patients since that time. She joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences as a contributing faculty member in 2017 and transitioned into full-time affiliated faculty on the Austin campus in 2021.
