When many people think of health and medicine, their minds automatically jump to doctors, and maybe even nurses. However, there are many different career opportunities available in health care. It is not necessary to go to medical school, either, to help diagnose and treat diseases. Some health care professions allow you to work closely with patients, and provide help and medical advice without becoming a doctor. Two of these professions are Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant.
At first glance, it may seem as though a Nurse Practitioner and a Physician Assistant are basically the same thing. However, this is not the case. While both careers can allow you to work closely with patients, and both can include diagnosis and some treatment of disease, there are some differences between the duties and qualifications required by each profession. You can find out more about being a Nurse Practitioner, and being a Physician Assistant, and then decide which career choice might work best for you.
Nurse Practitioner
As you might imagine, a Nurse Practitioner must be a Registered Nurse. Indeed, a Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse — but one with advanced academic achievement and additional experience in medical settings. In most cases, in order to be a Nurse Practitioner, it is necessary to have a Masters degree. This degree can be in nursing, or in some other field that is obviously related to health care. In addition to having an advanced degree, a Nurse Practitioner should also have additional clinical experience. This clinical experience offers a basis of hands-on knowledge related to the treatment of disease, and also of diagnosis.
Because of the extra education and experience that a Nurse Practitioner has, he or she is enabled to diagnose and manage most illnesses that appear commonly. Nurse Practitioners can provide general family health care in most cases. There are specialty areas associated with Nurse Practitioners, including:
- Occupational Health
- Pediatrics
- Geriatric Medicine
- Women’s Health
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Netonatal Care
- Accute Care
- Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse Practitioners can diagnose diseases, including some chronic diseases, and develop treatment plans for them. Nurse Practitioners are authorized to write prescriptions and order tests, and most have hospital privileges as well. Most Nurse Practitioners focus on disease prevention and health maintenance, as well as patient education. Nurse Practitioners can have their own practices, as well as work in cooperation with others in the health care profession.
According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, those in this field work close to 36 hours a week, and earn a median salary of around $73,620 on an annual basis. You can see where having a specialty might help, and how you can make a good living — while helping people — as a Nurse Practitioner.
Physician Assistant
Unlike a Nurse Practitioner, who can work alone in a practice, a Physician Assistant performs his or her duties under the supervision of a doctor. Like a Nurse Practitioner, though, a Physician Assistant can also diagnose disease and write prescriptions. However, everything that a Physician Assistant does is technically at the direction of a licensed physician (M.D. or D.O.). The Nurse Practitioner has more authority on his or her own, but a Physician Assistant can also have a large degree of autonomy, depending on his or her competence, and the willingness of the doctor to delegate.
Physician Assistants can engage in diagnosis of common illnesses, and also come up with treatment plans. They can prescribe medication as well. There are some limits to the types of drugs a Physician Assistant can prescribe, however. They are not allowed, in most cases, to prescribe narcotics, and there may be some other limitations, which can vary on a state by state basis (since a Physician Assistant is licensed by the state). Physician Assistants are also able to order tests, and interpret the results of x-rays and laboratory tests. They can examine patients and treat minor injuries.
In addition to performing a range of general duties, including counseling patients, keeping progress notes, and taking basic information, many Physician Assistants also have specialties. Some of the specializations that can be chosen by a Physician Assistant include:
- General Internal Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Geriatrics
- Family Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Emergency Medicine
- General Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
Of course, any specialties carried out must be under the supervision of a licensed physician, so Physician Assistants generally just assist during surgeries. Some Physician Assistants join themselves to doctors in their specialties of interest, and work in those practices. Physician Assistants can also work at hospitals, under proper supervision.
According to American Academy of Physician’s Assistants, the median salary for a Physician Assistant is $69,517 annually, working approximately 32 hours a week. It can be a good job, with opportunity to provide patients with quality health care, and educate them about better health practices.
Which Should You Choose?
As with any career decision, whether you decide to be a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician Assistant depends on your goals, and what you want to accomplish. If you are a Registered Nurse, you can take either path and see an increase in responsibility and ability to care for patients. If you already have an advanced degree in nursing, though, and you like to have complete autonomy and are interested in having your own practice, then the Nurse Practitioner route might be best for you.
If you are more interested in getting started in a rewarding career quickly, a Physician Assistant career track might be the way to go. Depending on the program you choose, you might need a four-year degree to get started. There is specific training that y
ou have to go through to become a Physician Assistant, though. But no advanced degree is necessary. You have to okay with working under someone’s supervision, though, in order to succeed as a Physician Assistant, since you won’t have the ability to set up your own practice.
There are pros and cons to each career, and it is up to you to study out the options, and decide what would work best in your circumstance. Either way, though, you will be able to work with patients on a personal level, and help them live healthier lives.
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What is a Medical Assistant?
Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators. Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician.
Where Can I Train Online to be a Medical Assistant?
One of the best schools to offer online medical assistant training is at St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants. They offer a nationally accredited and certified medical assistant program which is completely online.
