Physician Assistant-Nurse Practitioner Education

A nurse practitioner may only be required to go to school for a year, but it’s important to note that they must already have a bachelor’s degree of science in nursing. The required curriculum is actually a master’s program, and the degree (MSN) must be obtained before sitting for the licensure exams. Each NP must choose a specialty in adult care, acute care, pediatrics, women’s health, or gerontology. There are typically 500+ hours in the classroom, and then 500-700 hours in a clinical setting. Most nursing schools have some type of NP program. The licensure exam varies by state, but there is an

optional national exam that will fulfill the requirements for each state. The recertification process for NPs typically consists of 75 continuing education units every 4-6 years and at least 1500 hours of patient contact in the same period of time. There is no recertification exam required, because the NP practices under their RN license. The average cost of a NP program is estimated to be about $19,000, but can depend greatly based upon how much previous education has already been obtained.

A physician assistant must also have a bachelor’s degree of science before entering the program, but it can be in any science related field. Many PA programs are two years in length and consist of 1000+ classroom hours and 2000+ clinical hours. There are no specialty programs, as all are trained as generalists who can diagnose, treat, and perform basic surgical skills. A mater’s degree is awarded upon successful completion of the program. PA programs are typically found at medical schools. There is a national certification exam required, and no state exams. Recertification consists of 100 hours of continuing medical education units every 2 years. In addition, an exam is required every 6 years to stay licensed by the state medical board. The average cost of a PA program is estimated to be about $54,000 for the two years.