NP vs PA

Comparing Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Career Paths.
When looking to achieve a high tier in your profession, it can be daunting to choose your path. Becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) could provide a rewarding and lucrative career. This article will guide you along the path of becoming an advanced practice provider. As a prospective nurse practitioner or physician assistant student, let’s take a look at the differences between these two roles. Which one is the right choice for you? Now let’s list the difference between NP and PA.

Physician assistants and nurse practitioners are educated from fundamentally different viewpoints. A PA is medically trained from the medical model. The medical model focuses on the pathology of the problem and how to cure it. The PA model essentially is disease-centered.
A NP goes to a nursing school and is trained under the nursing model. The nursing model focuses on the patient as a whole. The NP model is patient-centered rather than disease-centered. Philosophically, the medical and nursing models differ tremendously.

As a NP, you will have different workplace experiences than that of a PA. Nurse practitioners work in a range of settings. NPs practice in hospitals, clinics, schools, camps, and skilled nursing facilities, and because they often have the authority to diagnose and prescribe independently, they’re also found in nurse practitioner-run clinics, or even establish independent clinics of their own. PAs typically work directly under surgeons and physicians in doctor’s offices and hospitals where they contribute to the work MDs do. This means they aren’t able to strike out on their own to establish an independent practice.

Both PAs and NPs can specialize in a great number of areas. Even though PA programs focus on general medical practice, in their careers they often specialize by area of medicine and practice setting, including emergency medicine, surgery, or orthopedics. On the other hand, NP programs all include a focus in a specific patient population group: family and individual across the lifespan, pediatric, adult and geriatric, women’s health, neonatology, or mental health. NPs can also further specialize according to practice setting and disease type.
Whether you choose to become an NP or a PA, the requirements are similar in terms of the level of education you’ll need, even though the focus of the education will be considerably different. The PA must attend graduate school and receive a master’s degree, either in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), Health Science (MHS), or Medical Science (MMSc). The NP attends an advanced practice program, either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), both of which build off the knowledge Registered Nurses already have.
Both professions have state licensing and national certification requirements. The PA must take a general national certification exam known as the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). NPs, on the other hand, test for primary certification in the patient population that aligns with their graduate studies. If the NP wishes to specialize even further, there are additional certification options in everything from emergency care, oncology, infectious diseases, and immunology to forensic nursing and informatics.
Both physician assistants and nurse practitioners must be licensed or registered at the state level, and both participate in continuing education to maintain national certification and state licensure. Depending on how licensing is handled in a given state, an NP would either earn an additional APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) license, or an advanced practice endorsement on their existing RN License. In virtually all cases, NPs would still be required to maintain a Registered Nurse license in good standing in order to practice.
PA vs NP Salary

PAs and NPs have different salaries, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. A physician assistant earns a median salary of $101,480 per year. At the top of the salary range is $142,210 annually. Nurse practitioners make an average of $104,610 annually. The high end of the NP range is $140,930 annually. Both career paths have an excellent outlook with both fields growing and creating new job openings.
Visit our Scholarships page:
Find your Nursing Program!
Watch our last video going over NP Programs for in person and online

Creative Contributors: Writer/Video Editor:
Caitlin Alcox
Craig Trayler

[Kia-yn]

I stopped trusting her when she said pants instead of pance

[hankthetank]

PANCE, not PANTS. Also, seemed kinda biased. Gave me the impression that PAs only practice in ER or surgery, compared to the big long list that NPs can potentially practice in...PAs practice in virtually any specialty or practice. From ER to Pathology, from Family Practice to Urology, etc.

[jinny]

PANCE* Not PANTS. From a PA student :)

[joko]

"PAs and NPs make different salaries"

Proceeds to say there is literally 2-3k difference between the two.

[briannafarnell]

I am a PA and i prescribe under my own license. I even have my DEA to prescribe controlled subtances, under my own license. I am in Florida. Also it is called the PANCE. Maybe talk to a PA to get correct info before making a video like this.

[SV-srjm]

Extremely biased in favor of NPs with a significant amount of inaccurate info regarding PAs. This video comes from a nursing website. Please keep that in mind when watching it and be sure to get info about PAs from actual PAs to ensure it is accurate.

[jwesleyt]

As a PA of 35 years, I disagree with this comparison and there should have been PA involvement

[parkerjon]

I've worked with both PAs and NPs and have seen great examples of both. I do think that if NPs want to really advance their education, they've got to get away from the online model. One of my Med School rotations was in a clinic with both another PA student and an NP student. The PA student was there every day and was eager to see patients. The NP showed up once per week for half a day and did the rest of the "rotation" online.

[ocdude]

If you’re watching this to compare NP vs PA, please find another video. This video has false information.

[dyanneliga]

It's obvious there was no input by a PA into your production as your description of PA practice and settings is woefully lacking. If you refer to the definitions of both professions you'll find that PAs are the only profession to practice medicine other than physicians as NPs practice "modified nursing". The idea that PAs don't focus on the 'whole patient' is ridiculous but you achieved your goal of elevating the profile of the NP profession in by down playing that of the Physician Assistant.

[kathrynkosich]

So much ignorance in this video. It’s obviously biased. I’m only writing this comment for others to know to NOT utilize this video as a source of understanding or education. One key component they chose to leave out: PA’s can work in any field they desire at any point in their career without additional schooling. NP’s pick a path, and must stick with it, unless they choose more schooling.

[mrAZcardinal]

I got my bachelor's in Pre-Physical Therapy with the intentions of going to grad school to become a DPT. One semester in and I hated it; financially screws students over. Now I'm looking at either starting over with nursing (which I think suits my personality better) to become a NP or to become a PA. I am so conflicted. PA is so much less school which is a HUGE deal to me. NP sounds more like me, but I can't really know that. Nursing model sounds more humane, but is it more effective? I feel like this vid and the article that linked me to it are slightly biased to NP, but I find myself leaning a bit more to PA.

[OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro]

Peace be to you all! I'm a new subscriber! In my opinion, this is one of the BEST comparison between these two great professions that I have EVER seen! It was unbiased and accurate! I have been a Physician Assistant for 16 years, and have worked with OUTSTANDING NPs . I have so much respect for them and greatly admire the work that they do! I hope more incentives will be created for people to pusure either field (scholarships, loan pay-back programs). We desperately need both NPs and PAs in the primary care specialities in under-served areas. BTW, the salaries vary greatly depending on area and specialty. So it's all good! EmpowerRN is a great channel. Peace!

[waynek.]

Dear Nursejournal -


Please take a few minutes to fix the numerous mistakes that are misinforming people about the PA profession. PANTS? Come on.. Please read the comments. Did you guys even have your "facts" reviewed by a PA or even a PA student before publishing your video?

[nancykim]

Many of us appreciate your profession, if you have passion for this career should go for! never too late because we ALL need you. Thank you!

[jeanpierre]

For those clearly not educated enough. NP students who take classes online, still have to participate in labs (IN PERSON), participate in clinical (IN PERSON) not everything is done online, just because it’s an online program. I go to a university in person, and I know that ! 🙄

[meganblakemore]

A PA does not prescribe under a physician license. In many states PAs and NPs require the same collaborating physician agreement.

[mrsgeorge]

This is absolutely inaccurate of what a PA does. Based on the channel, I wouldn’t say it biased at all, huh??

[zenwickforever]

Finally, a YouTube channel with clear audio and not recorded on a potato like other channels.

[Maksilver]

Great video !!! Excelent amount of info. Thank you so much :)