Is There a Difference Between Physicians and Nurse Practitioners?

The physician assistant profession was created in the 1960s. Some primary care practices use PA's to just see same day walk-ins. And some use PA's or NPs to do patient education or follow-ups on chronic diseases like diabetes. How do patients do when they're cared for by a physician assistant and nurse practitioner compared to a doctor? The study used data from the Department of Veterans Affairs.