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. Liz Wilson became the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Department of Occupational Therapy at the university in 2018. She started at the university as a guest lecturer and then adjunct faculty before transitioning into her current full-time position.
She has worked in a variety of occupational therapy settings including inpatient acute hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health, pediatric school systems, and skilled nursing. The last 16 years of her practice were in an upper extremity rehabilitation clinic in San Diego, CA where she specialized in lymphedema and orthopedic injuries.
Dr. Wilson is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), California Occupational Fieldwork Council (CAOTFC), and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). She has participated in volunteer work in Nicaragua in a hospital rehabilitation clinic and in various locations in the United States.
