Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 10:26     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
We have a famliy member interested in PA school. They were considering MD or PT, but ended up getting exposure to all 3 career options and PA was the most appealing to them based upon day-to-day experience. Schools with strong pre-health offices can help the students navigate the requirements. PA schools require a lot of clinical hours, so that is something to keep in mind and shadowing doesn't count. A lof the pre-med and pre-PA course requirements are the same, so it's not hard to switch between the two.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 10:22     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:As a hospital physician of 20 years who works with both daily, I find that our PAs have a better knowledge foundation than NPs who go straight from Nursing school to their NP degrees. Too many programs(especially online programs) churning out unprepared NPs. That said, those NPs who started out as nurses and have several years of nursing under their belt before going to NP school are well prepared. Sadly, I see this route less and less each year.

Agree. When I went to Grad school for my MSN it was required that you have at least 2 years real world RN experience. Huge difference
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 10:20     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Kids who want to be doctors but don’t want to go through the academics.


Or debt.


Or want a better work/life balance in certain specialties.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 10:17     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Generally doctors think PAs are better trained. I’m an MD and I’d probably go the RN to NP route just because it allows for more opportunities to stop at RN (has a lot of ways to leverage that degree) or pursue an academic path. PA is a young field and is often forgotten about (no PA appreciation week) and there is a strong tradition of RNs in leadership but harder to find that for PAs.

So from a holistic career standpoint I’d go with NP. But if the goal is just to find work and go home then I’d just go the PA route.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 10:06     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a hospital physician of 20 years who works with both daily, I find that our PAs have a better knowledge foundation than NPs who go straight from Nursing school to their NP degrees. Too many programs(especially online programs) churning out unprepared NPs. That said, those NPs who started out as nurses and have several years of nursing under their belt before going to NP school are well prepared. Sadly, I see this route less and less each year.

Nurse here and I completely agree. It’s frightening when I see some of my barely competent co-workers get into NP school. FYI. I think PA school is much better at pathophysiology. At least CRNA programs require ICU experience. There are good NP programs but many will just take anyone with a pulse.

Our DD is pursuing a BSN (direct-admit) and initially had thought to pursue NP. Was told she would have to do two years post-RN/BSN before being considered for an NP program. We both think that wise.

In the meantime, she’s had several opportunities to shadow a CRNA and thinks that could be a real interest, despite it being a 3+ yr add-on.

Any real life experience might lead her one way or another.

Considering DC wanted to be a teacher and was highly advised by several valued mentors to NOT “do it,” we shook our head over the decision to jump from one hot-mess profession to another — even though we desperately need “good” people to do them both.


surgeon mom who works with many different anesthesiologists who all agree crna is a great gig. high demand, great salary, training not as long. good luck!
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 09:31     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As a hospital physician of 20 years who works with both daily, I find that our PAs have a better knowledge foundation than NPs who go straight from Nursing school to their NP degrees. Too many programs(especially online programs) churning out unprepared NPs. That said, those NPs who started out as nurses and have several years of nursing under their belt before going to NP school are well prepared. Sadly, I see this route less and less each year.

Nurse here and I completely agree. It’s frightening when I see some of my barely competent co-workers get into NP school. FYI. I think PA school is much better at pathophysiology. At least CRNA programs require ICU experience. There are good NP programs but many will just take anyone with a pulse.

Our DD is pursuing a BSN (direct-admit) and initially had thought to pursue NP. Was told she would have to do two years post-RN/BSN before being considered for an NP program. We both think that wise.

In the meantime, she’s had several opportunities to shadow a CRNA and thinks that could be a real interest, despite it being a 3+ yr add-on.

Any real life experience might lead her one way or another.

Considering DC wanted to be a teacher and was highly advised by several valued mentors to NOT “do it,” we shook our head over the decision to jump from one hot-mess profession to another — even though we desperately need “good” people to do them both.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 06:58     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Quality of physicians vary too. Also popular opinion of them vacillates.

Make a decision based on the work and which your child prefers. The rest is out of anyone’s control.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 06:36     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
It is very much going to depend on the individual. I was in a top hospital not long ago and over the course of my stay I met a variety of nurses, nursing assistants and RNs. Really out of all of them only one RN stood out as being exceptional. She noticed everything in terms of symptoms, side effects, what was needed, what was missing. She was essentially a very focused doctor but without the full qualifications.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2025 00:00     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
It also varies state by state which is better paid more powerful etc. in California there is a strong nursing union and NP is more employable desirable there. I think PA school is harder overall
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 23:23     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
^ guess it depends. My Physician Daughter has a strong preference for working alongside NPs
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 23:20     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:Nurse Practitioner from what I've heard is now more respected. Respect has shifted away from PA. New PA programs have sprung up all over and physicians have seen that the training is uneven. Go with the NP


This is not what I'm seeing. NP training is an absolute joke; at this point most nurses accepted to these programs have zero bedside experience and they are doing online learning that is not remotely rigorous. And as long as they pay their tuition, they are pushed through -- even if they think a liver is on the left side of the body next to the spleen. It is a recipe for disastrous patient care.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 23:15     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Nurse Practitioner from what I've heard is now more respected. Respect has shifted away from PA. New PA programs have sprung up all over and physicians have seen that the training is uneven. Go with the NP
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 23:09     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
They are the future of medicine. Great job security.

Which is a huge problem. But it is what it is.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 23:07     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
Anonymous wrote:This is helpful, but really doesn't answer what the real difference are between the two. From what I read, they are very similar and both can do patient care. Do some of the above posters have insight.

Also, what if my DD goes to a direct admit nursing school, but then decides to switch to a PA after graduation (and will have her BSN). Anyone seen that happen?


PA school is 2 years after graduation. As long as you have the pre-requisite classes you can apply. Be careful with nursing science classes vs standard science classes taught at a university for STEM majors. The nursing classes are often not as rigorous and may not be accepted by the PA program. Your DD may have to do a post-Bacc year to get the requirements. Your best bet is to contact a few PA schools admissions offices and ask if they accept nursing science classes.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2025 22:50     Subject: Physician assistant vs nurse practitioner
If she doesn’t want to do nursing she should definitely not get a ban with a plan to become an np. I am one of the md pps and if she is ci rodent she wants to be a mid level feather than an md or an rn then I recommend pa school.