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. Terri Roberts brings 20 years of clinical experience to her position as a practitioner specializing in burns, hand therapy and lymphedema. She teaches Orthotics and Prosthetics, Physical Agent Modalities and Clinical Applications in Adulthood. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Roberts is the Assistant Program Director for the MOT/OTD Flex and Residential programs. Prior to joining the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Dr. Roberts served as an occupational therapy practitioner at Palomar Pomerado Health Systems in Escondido, California and an occupational therapist at the University of California, San Diego before going into private practice as a certified lymphedema therapist and hand therapy specialist. Dr. Roberts served as a clinical adjunct instructor at Grossmont College in El Cajon, California where she developed curricula for the occupational therapy assistant program. She has presented guest lectures at San Diego State University, West Coast University, Loma Linda University and Grossmont College.
Dr. Roberts is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). She has also served as a member of the Professional Development and Leadership Committee and as the Chair for the Communications Committee for the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC).
