The medical field is full of many opportunities and jobs. Sometimes it is difficult to decide which one would be the best option for you to strive for. A nurse practitioner and a physician assistant work hard to provide the best care possible for the patient. There are some main differences that people look at when choosing which job is better for them. The education time, pay and ability to change fields are big deciding factors. Most people want to get through school as quick as possible while still being able to hold a well paying job. A NP usually has a average program time of around 15- 20 months. During this time the students will need to be involved in an average of 720 clinical hours total. A PA’s education time is quite a bit more.
