To become a nurse practitioner, one must first have a bachelor's degree in nursing and then go on to get a master's degree in a subspecialty such as neonatal care, pediatrics, mental health, adult care, family care and acute care, Ms. Dunbar-Jacob said. And soon, she added, they may need to complete doctoral programs to be licensed as nurse practitioners. "It's not mandatory at this point, but things are moving in that direction," she said.
Physician assistants have no such background requirements, Mr. Ramos said. Some go into PA programs from training and experience in other medical positions such as emergency medical technicians, paramedics and licensed practical nurses, while others might have bachelor's degrees in science or even the arts.
Similarly, PAs don't necessarily end up with a college bachelor's or master's degree, though he said all the PA programs in Pennsylvania are master's track. They also can come out of certificate programs, Mr. Ramos said, in which they get the same medical training as they would have in a college curriculum.
Regardless the certificate or degree, a PA can't practice until he or she is certified by passing a national board exam. "Every six years they have to take another exam and recertify," Mr. Ramos said.
Nurse practitioners also need to be nationally certified in their specialties and state-licensed. They too must undergo periodic recertification and accumulate continuing education credits.
"The nurse practitioner practice is governed by state boards of nursing and the regulations vary from state to state," Ms. Dunbar-Jacob said.
But once they're on the job, the differences blur.