Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are increasingly mentioned as a collective solution to the nation’s primary healthcare shortage. There are approximately 234,000 NPs and 115,500 PAs in the United States providing cost-effective patient care, preventive care, and health promotion. But what exactly is the difference between these two groups of clinicians? Practicing Clinicians Exchange provides a quick snapshot of how these growing professions compare: