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Pas & NPS:: Similarities & Differences

While PAs and NPs both serve as front-line healthcare providers, there are some differences in their training and certification requirements. PAs earn a master's degree with clinical rotations similar to medical school and are trained as general medical providers. They require 100 hours of continuing education every two years and recertification every ten years through examination. In contrast, NPs earn a nursing master's degree and focus their training in a specific patient population. They require 100 hours of continuing education and 1000 clinical hours every five years for recertification, without mandatory examination. Overall, both PAs and NPs provide high-quality care to patients as key members of the healthcare team.

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81 views1 page

Pas & NPS:: Similarities & Differences

While PAs and NPs both serve as front-line healthcare providers, there are some differences in their training and certification requirements. PAs earn a master's degree with clinical rotations similar to medical school and are trained as general medical providers. They require 100 hours of continuing education every two years and recertification every ten years through examination. In contrast, NPs earn a nursing master's degree and focus their training in a specific patient population. They require 100 hours of continuing education and 1000 clinical hours every five years for recertification, without mandatory examination. Overall, both PAs and NPs provide high-quality care to patients as key members of the healthcare team.

Uploaded by

sweetiex3
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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PAs & NPs:

Similarities & Differences

Both PAs and nurse practitioners (NPs) play an increasingly vital role as front-line healthcare providers. Although there are
some significant differences in training and maintenance of certification requirements, the similarities between PAs and NPs
far outweigh the differences. What is important for patients to know is that, regardless of whether they see a PA or an NP, they
are being treated by a highly educated, well-trained healthcare provider who places the patient at the center of their care. The
following highlights some of the key differences between PAs and NPs.

What is a PA? What is an NP?


PAs are medical professionals who diagnose illness, develop NPs are nurse clinicians who blend clinical expertise in
and manage treatment plans, prescribe medication, and diagnosing and treating health conditions with an emphasis
often serve as a patient’s principal healthcare provider. With on disease prevention and health management.
thousands of hours of medical training, PAs are versatile and
collaborative. PAs practice in every state and in every medical
setting and specialty, improving healthcare access and quality.

How are PAs educated? How are NPs educated?


• Earn a master’s degree and may obtain advanced degrees. • Earn a master’s degree; may obtain a doctor of nursing
• Curriculum is modeled on the medical school curriculum. practice degree.
• Students complete 2,000 hours of clinical rotations in family • Trained in the advanced practice of nursing.
medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, • Students must complete 1,000 hours of supervised clinical
obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and practice.
psychiatry. • Trained in a chosen health population focus area: Family,
• Trained as medical generalists, which provides them Adult/Gerontology, Neonatal, Pediatrics, Women’s Health,
diagnostic and treatment skills in all areas of medicine and or Psychiatric/Mental Health.
for all patients, regardless of age or gender.

How are PAs regulated? How are NPs regulated?


• Regulated by state medical boards or, in five states, by • Regulated by state nursing boards (in five states the medical
separate PA boards. board has some role in NP regulation).

How do PAs practice? How do NPs practice?


• The PA profession is pursuing Optimal Team Practice. • NPs are pursuing full practice authority, which 22 states
PAs embrace team practice with physicians and other have already approved.
healthcare providers, while at the same time seeking to
remove obsolete supervisory agreement laws.

How do PAs maintain certification? How do NPs maintain certification?


• 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every • 100 hours of continuing education (CE) and 1,000 clinical
two years. hours every five years.
• Recertify every 10 years through an exam that evaluates • No recertifying test required; may take an exam as an
general medical knowledge. alternative to 1,000 hours of clinical practice every five years.
• PAs have one certifying body. • NPs have six certifying bodies from which to choose.

| aapa.org
Updated March 2018

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