What is the difference between a PA and NP?
If you are the patient being cared for by either a PA or NP and can’t see your providers name tag, you probably can’t tell the difference. In any given practice setting the care provided will likely be indistinguishable based purely on the profession of the provider. Philosophically the approach of these two professions to the care they provide their patients is, however different. NPs describe themselves as advanced practitioners of nursing, while PAs practice medicine with physician supervision. There is also some difference in specialty mobility. NPs are trained in only one specialty (eg Family NP, Pediatric NP, Geriatric NP) and usually require additional formal training in order to move from one specialty to another. PAs are trained in a broad-based, primary care curriculum that allows mobility between specialties, typically with on-the-job training.
If you are the patient being cared for by either a PA or NP and can’t see your provider’s name tag, you probably can’t tell the difference. In any given practice setting the care provided will likely be indistinguishable based purely on the profession of the provider. Philosophically the approach of these two professions to the care they provide their patients is, however different. NPs describe themselves as advanced practitioners of nursing, while PAs practice medicine with physician supervision. There is also some difference in specialty mobility. NPs are trained in only one specialty (eg Family NP, Pediatric NP, Geriatric NP) and usually require additional formal training in order to move from one specialty to another. PAs are trained in a broad-based, primary care curriculum that allows mobility between specialties, typically with on-the-job training.
