Nurse Practitioner Vs Physician Assistant

Medical jobs are on a rise in the United States and therefore the number of people aspiring for a medical career are also increasing. Career as a physician assistant and nurse practitioner are a couple of good career opportunities available in this already large and ever expanding medical industry. Read more on types of jobs in hospitals. Be it a job as a nurse practitioner or a physical assistant, both are good and have enormous self development opportunities. However, most of the people are not able to make a choice between these two and have found themselves in a dilemma of nurse practitioner vs physician assistant, which one to choose? So to help such people in decision making, here is some useful information pertaining to the job details of nurse practitioner and physician assistant.

Difference between Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner
The following information consists of the definition, job description, educational requirements, salary ranges, scope of practice and certification details of nurse practitioner and physician assistant.

Profile Definition
Nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioners are trained, registered and certified nurses that are authorized to perform assigned medical or operational tasks under a physician's supervision.

Physician assistant
Physician assistants are trained, registered and certified health care professionals that are authorized to practice health and medical care under a physician's supervision.

Educational Requirements and Training
Nurse practitioner
Graduation degree followed by a degree in nursing from a recognized nursing school is the utmost requirement for the designation of a nurse practitioner. The next step is to obtain a master's degree, as in some states a master's degree in nursing is also required. Further, to become a licensed nurse, it is necessary to pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) examination. The final step is to apply for and obtain a certification in nursing from American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Physician assistant
To apply for a bachelor's or a master's degree in physician assistance, it is necessary that the candidate has an equivalent qualification in nursing, emergency medical services or paramedics. On completion of the BS degree in physician's assistance, one can apply for masters. On obtaining MS in physician assistance, one needs to apply for license as a physician assistant. This involves completing an accredited degree program and also successfully completing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).

Job Description
Nurse practitioner
The job description of a nurse practitioner includes, providing medical care, treatments, preserving medical records for the physician's reference, documenting the medical history and case study for future reference. Carrying out and evaluating diagnostic tests and recording them properly, providing assistance to the physicians and other doctors in developing patient health care plans also form a part of nurse practitioners job description.

Physician assistant
Physician assistants have to perform duties such as assisting physicians in practicing medical consultation, preparing and preserving medical histories, examining patients and prescribing appropriate medicines to them and treating minor injuries and disorders.

Annual Salary Range
Once you gain experience, knowledge and expertize, both the jobs prove to be quite high earning. A nurse practitioner earns anywhere up to $75000- $83000, whilst a physician assistant earns about $70000-$82000.

You must have got an idea of what is entailed in careers as nurse practitioner as well as physician assistant. Job descriptions and salary ranges of both these jobs are almost same. However, only the educational requirements and certifying organizations vary. Here are some more things I would like to tell you about both these jobs. Medical industry is all about serving mankind and caring for its health. Therefore, to pursue either of these jobs you need to have a loving and caring attitude towards the patients and you should also be ready for long working hours to serve people beyond your call of duty.

So, in nurse practitioner vs physician assistant, which medical job are you going for? Consider your interests, educational backgrounds, financial conditions, etc before coming to any conclusion and accordingly make a wise choice between these two. Best wishes for your career!