Family practice physician vs doctor

The differences between family practice physicians and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, which is higher than the $205,717 average annual salary of a family practice physician.

The top three skills for a family practice physician include patients, family practice and primary care. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.

Family practice physician vs doctor overview

	Family Practice Physician	Doctor
Yearly salary	$205,717	$208,582
Hourly rate	$98.90	$100.28
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	55,016	14,571
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	-

What does a family practice physician do?

Family practice physicians provide comprehensive medical care services to each family member. These services may include disease diagnosis and treatment, family planning, and immunizations. They typically have undergone specialty training on the various primary care disciplines, including preventive care, pediatric medicine, and OB care. They are responsible for diagnosing and treating illnesses and medical conditions, providing routine health screenings, and advising patients on lifestyle changes to prevent diseases. Family practice physicians supervise physician assistants, medical assistants, and nurses and coordinate with occupational and rehabilitation therapists on a patient's behalf.

What does a doctor do?

A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.

Family practice physician vs doctor salary

Family practice physicians and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Family Practice Physician	Doctor
Average salary	$205,717	$208,582
Salary range	Between $136,000 And $310,000	Between $106,000 And $408,000
Highest paying City	Fargo, ND	Green Bay, WI
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Ohio
Best paying company	Central Ohio Primary Care	Saint Luke's Health System
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between family practice physician and doctor education

There are a few differences between a family practice physician and a doctor in terms of educational background:

	Family Practice Physician	Doctor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Medicine	Medicine
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Family practice physician vs doctor demographics

Here are the differences between family practice physicians' and doctors' demographics:

	Family Practice Physician	Doctor
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between family practice physician and doctor duties and responsibilities

Family practice physician example responsibilities.

Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
Provide and perform x-rays and EKG upon doctor's request.
Perform EHR practice assessments and work and documentation flow analysis and redesign.
Review EHR on an as needed basis per missing information or documentation.
Review and help select EMR and transition providers and clinics to the new system.
Float to various departments such as the emergency room, ICU, and geriatric psych.

Doctor example responsibilities.

Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
Develop personalize treatment plans, rehabilitation plans, exercise plans, report of findings, nutritional plans and narrative reports.
Perform patient x-rays, provide MRI consultations.
Perform x-rays of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.
Hire, train, educate and monitor staff in HIPPA policies and procedures.
Create, update, and maintain confidential patient EHRs in compliance with all HIPAA laws and regulations.

Family practice physician vs doctor skills

Common family practice physician skills

Patients, 22%
Family Practice, 19%
Primary Care, 14%
Urgent Care, 11%
EMR, 8%
Internal Medicine, 4%

Common doctor skills

Patients, 33%
Customer Service, 12%
Emergency Medicine, 5%
Surgery, 5%
DR, 4%
Cleanliness, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Family Practice Physician
Family Practice Physician vs Doctor

Updated January 8, 2025

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