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. Timothy Holley is an occupational therapist (OT), health scientist and educator who is dedicated to helping individuals reach their optimal functioning level in society. Dr. Holley began his career in rehabilitation in undergraduate school as a research assistant on the Motor After Stroke Project at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He later received his Master of Science in occupational therapy in 2004, which he would go on to practice in varied settings, ranging from early intervention to geriatric rehab. Due to his diverse experience as an OT practitioner, Dr. Holley considers himself a generalist.
During his doctorate studies, Dr. Holley completed an internship in the tumor registrar at an affiliate of the MD Anderson Cancer Center and completed a research practicum titled, “Increasing genetic competency in occupational therapy practice.” Dr. Holley has held many leadership roles, including Director of Rehabilitation, Clinical Lead, CEO/Owner and Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program Director. During his occupational therapy career, Dr. Holley has been invited to present at various professional conferences, educational institutions, community and business organizations.
His teaching experience includes seven years as a biology instructor, teaching anatomy, physiology and medical terminology courses at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, AL. He later became an assistant professor in an MOT program at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he taught for six years. At Trinity, Dr. Holley taught functional anatomy, functional neuroscience, research, ethics, advocacy and policy. Dr. Holley joined the core OT programs faculty at the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences as an Associate Professor in January 2022, sharing his diverse knowledge as a practitioner and educator.
