HLTH 105
FOCUSED ACTIVITY: COMPARE AND CONTRAST PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
Primary care providers or practitioners (PCPs) include physicians, advanced practice registered
nurses (APRNs / nurse practitioners), and physician assistants (PAs). These professionals lead
the way in providing and directing healthcare services. As both patients and healthcare workers,
it is important to have an understanding of the education and training background of each
practitioner, as well as the role they play in providing medical care. With physicians (medical
doctors) being highly trained leaders, this team of providers work together to meet the growing
medical needs of the healthcare system.
INSTRUCTIONS
Complete the assignment in 1 – 2 pages, with five to eight paragraphs.
o The reference page is not included in the 1-2 pages content length.
Use APA formatting guidelines to provide in-text citations and a reference page.
Cite and reference at least two sources
o Acceptable sources: textbook, credible websites of health or professional
organizations, scholarly articles, etc.
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the following careers: physician,
nurse practitioner, and physician assistant. Thoroughly cover topics of education, work
description, work environment, opportunities, salary, etc.
This paper should be written in a comparison/contrast style of writing, highlighting the
similarities and differences of the three professions (do not simply describe each profession).
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.
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Focused Activity: Compare and Contrast Primary Care Providers Assignment
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
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Compare and Contrast the Similarities and Differences of the Following Careers: Physician,
Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Assistant
Similarities
Considering that both a physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant are care
providers, they thus share several similarities across different dimensions. For instance, based
on their responsibilities, a physician, the nurse practitioner, and the physician assistant will
conduct diagnostic processes to determine the patient's health, prescribe medications and
treatment interventions, and complete patient assessments (Duquesne University 2020). Also,
the ultimate objective of the nurse practitioner and the physician assistant is to address the
patient’s medical needs.
In terms of salary, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in May 2019, published
that the median salary for a nurse practitioner was $115,800, while that for the physician
assistants was $112,260. This indicates a limited marginal difference in benefiting from either
profession. In terms of job outlook, BLS projected a five times increase in the job
opportunities for each, indicating a bright future for each career choice (BLS, 2019).
Specifically, the job outlook for nurse practitioners was projected to grow 28% between 2018
and 2028, and that for the physician assistant is estimated to grow 31% between 2018 and
2028 (BLS, 2019).
Based on levels of education and certification, both need to achieve state licensure
before they can be allowed to go to work. Besides, they are required to demonstrate patient-
oriented care in their work environment by fostering evidence-based quality and safe care
(Duquesne University 2020). The minimum level of education required for each is a 4-year
undergraduate degree from a Certified Institution. Knowing these similarities forms the start
of a career choice that is founded on a sound foundation.
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Differences
Despite the similarities mentioned above between physicians, nurse practitioners, and
physician assistants, there are several ways in which these three differ. While a nurse
practitioner and a physician assistant can have a more flexible work/life balance, a physician
cannot. The nurse practitioner and physician assistants can leave the office for the day if their
input is not needed, while the physician must be on the call and have managerial
responsibilities. In terms of education, a physician will spend approximately nine years of
learning and training to be qualified as a medical doctor (St. George's University 2021). On
the other hand, the physician and nurse practitioner will need around six to seven years of
training.
When evaluating the differences between a physician, nurse practitioner, and
physician assistant, the dimension of autonomy is very crucial. Physician assistants can
perform almost every activity a physician can undertake, but the physician must supervise
their actions (St. George's University 2021). While this does not literally translate to the
physician being in the room with the physician assistant each time, it implies that the
physician is accountable for the physician assistant's works.
Another significant basis for evaluating the difference between the physician, nurse
practitioner, and physician assistant is the scope of practice for each professional. Both the
physician, the physician's assistants, and nurse practitioners. Typically, the nurse practitioners
put the patient and their health needs at the center of their operations and are involved in
close interactions with the patient throughout the process (Duquesne University 2020). On
the contrary, the physician assistants operate within a disease-focused working environment
and operational model. Besides, nurse practitioners must major in a specific health population
(St. George's University 2021). On the other hand, physician assistants are highly predisposed
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to choosing an internal setting to major in, such as emergency care, implying the application
in any population.
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References
BLS. (2019). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. BLS. Retrieved
20 September 2021, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-
nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm.
Duquesne University. (2020). Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant. Duquesne
University School of Nursing. Retrieved 20 September 2021, from
https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/nurse-practitioner-vs-physician-assistant/.
St. George's University. (2021). PA vs. MD: Which Medical Career Is Right for You?. St.
George's University | The SGU Pulse. Retrieved 20 September 2021, from
https://www.sgu.edu/medical/pa-versus-md/.
I. APA Tittle Page
Compare and Contrast the Similarities and Differences of the Following Careers: Physician,
Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Assistant
II. Similarities
III. Differences
IV. References
BLS. (2019). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. BLS. Retrieved
20 September 2021, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-
nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm.
Duquesne University. (2020). Nurse Practitioner vs Physician Assistant. Duquesne
University School of Nursing. Retrieved 20 September 2021, from
https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/nurse-practitioner-vs-physician-assistant/.
St. George's University. (2021). PA vs. MD: Which Medical Career Is Right for You?. St.
George's University | The SGU Pulse. Retrieved 20 September 2021, from
https://www.sgu.edu/medical/pa-versus-md/.
