Certified physician assistant vs pain management physician

The differences between certified physician assistants and pain management physicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pain management physician has an average salary of $253,724, which is higher than the $126,201 average annual salary of a certified physician assistant.

The top three skills for a certified physician assistant include patients, diagnosis and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a pain management physician are pain management, patients, and primary care.

Certified physician assistant vs pain management physician overview

	Certified Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Yearly salary	$126,201	$253,724
Hourly rate	$60.67	$121.98
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	123,124	109,196
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

What does a certified physician assistant do?

Certified Physician assistants are healthcare professionals who are trained and supervised by a physician to diagnose and treat illness as well as provide preventive care to their patients. These assistants must collaborate with specialists so that they can ensure optimal patient care through formal and informal consultations. They are required to develop and implement new strategies for patient care based on current medical practice guidelines. Certified Physician Assistants must also assist with cases in general surgery such as orthopedic, thoracic, and vascular procedures.

What does a pain management physician do?

Pain management physicians are medical doctors who diagnose and coordinate treatment while providing care for patients who are experiencing pain. By understanding the physiology of pain, these physicians are required to conduct specialized tests to diagnose complex pain conditions as well as prescribe proper medications and therapies to treat them. They must observe their patients for their ability to function and overall quality of life. Pain management physicians must also work with other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, physiatrists, and nurses to meet all the needs of their patients.

Certified physician assistant vs pain management physician salary

Certified physician assistants and pain management physicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Average salary	$126,201	$253,724
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $215,000	Between $129,000 And $497,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Island, NE
Highest paying state	-	Nebraska
Best paying company	-	HealthPartners
Best paying industry	-	Pharmaceutical

Differences between certified physician assistant and pain management physician education

There are a few differences between a certified physician assistant and a pain management physician in terms of educational background:

	Certified Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Physician Assistant	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Certified physician assistant vs pain management physician demographics

Here are the differences between certified physician assistants' and pain management physicians' demographics:

	Certified Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between certified physician assistant and pain management physician duties and responsibilities

Certified physician assistant example responsibilities.

Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Provide bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to select patients and provide coordination of patient care in a rural primary care setting.
Perform comprehensive history and physical exams and provide a multidisciplinary care plan for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.
Perform suturing repair for laceration repairs.
Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
Document all procedures via dictation or handwritten in patient chart.

Pain management physician example responsibilities.

Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Perform prosthetic rehabilitation for amputee patients and participate in workshop on post prosthetic rehabilitation.
Operate EMR (electronic medical record )
Sell OFIRMEV to surgery centers for use in peri-operative protocols as an analgesic therapy.
work hardening rehabilitation in an outpatient clinic setting
Participate in workshop on spinal cord injuries and orthotic rehabilitation.

Certified physician assistant vs pain management physician skills

Common certified physician assistant skills

Patients, 25%
Diagnosis, 7%
Surgical Procedures, 5%
Outpatient Clinic, 5%
Urgent Care, 4%
Internal Medicine, 4%

Common pain management physician skills

Pain Management, 26%
Patients, 19%
Primary Care, 7%
Family Practice, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Surgery, 4%

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Certified Physician Assistant
Certified Physician Assistant vs Pain Management Physician

Updated January 8, 2025

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