Physician assistants and nurse practitioners in the National Health Service Corps

Objectives: This study describes the experiences of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in the National Health Service Corps' (NHSC) loan repayment program in 2010. Methods: In 2011, a stratified random sample of NHSC clinicians was surveyed. Data from the 148 PA and 137 NP respondents were analyzed (52.4% response rate). Results: PAs were younger than NPs (mean age 31 versus 35 years), less often female (68% versus 91%), and more often carried educational debt over $100,000 (56% versus 24%). Both groups were serving in states familiar to them and within communities where they felt accepted. The groups were generally satisfied on most measures of work, with PAs more satisfied than NPs on some measures. Conclusion: The NHSC's PAs and NPs are well matched to communities and satisfied with their work. Maximizing their NHSC experiences and retention requires recognizing their differences in demographics, debt, and areas of job satisfaction.