General surgery physician assistant vs physician extender

The differences between general surgery physician assistants and physician extenders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physician extender has an average salary of $244,718, which is higher than the $228,104 average annual salary of a general surgery physician assistant.

The top three skills for a general surgery physician assistant include patients, plastic surgery and patient care. The most important skills for a physician extender are patients, patient care, and medical care.

General surgery physician assistant vs physician extender overview

	General Surgery Physician Assistant	Physician Extender
Yearly salary	$228,104	$244,718
Hourly rate	$109.67	$117.65
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	81,744	73,599
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

What does a general surgery physician assistant do?

A General Surgery Physician Assistant helps surgeon with various tasks, such as inserting tubes, retracting issues, starting intravenous solutions, and others. They also write orders for patients while they are in the recovery room, as well as examine and monitor patients as they recover from their surgeries.

What does a physician extender do?

Physician extenders are not physicians. However, physician extenders perform a vital task in the overall care of patients. They diagnose and treat medical conditions, document and update patient records, consult patients, and perform physical exams. They may serve either as physician assistants or nurse practitioners. In becoming a physician extender, they must be a registered nurse or must have medical experience by working in the medical field even at a lower level. They need to be a regulatory agency certified and licensed instructor in their region or state.

General surgery physician assistant vs physician extender salary

General surgery physician assistants and physician extenders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Surgery Physician Assistant	Physician Extender
Average salary	$228,104	$244,718
Salary range	Between $118,000 And $439,000	Between $125,000 And $476,000
Highest paying City	Montclair, CA	Des Moines, IA
Highest paying state	California	New Mexico
Best paying company	Beaufort Memorial Hospital	UnitedHealth Group
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between general surgery physician assistant and physician extender education

There are a few differences between a general surgery physician assistant and a physician extender in terms of educational background:

	General Surgery Physician Assistant	Physician Extender
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Physician Assistant	Athletic Training
Most common college	Duke University	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

General surgery physician assistant vs physician extender demographics

Here are the differences between general surgery physician assistants' and physician extenders' demographics:

	General Surgery Physician Assistant	Physician Extender
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0%	Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 11.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between general surgery physician assistant and physician extender duties and responsibilities

General surgery 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.
Develop basic surgical skills, such as suturing, retracting of tissue; debridement of wounds.
Order, perform, and interpret laboratory and radiology test within the scope of professional practice.
Educate patients on post-operative recovery and discharge needs.
Evaluate patients for admission from the emergency room and perform inpatient consultations.
Monitor stress testing; review nuclear component of stress images; conduct cardiology consultations inpatient and outpatient settings.

Physician extender example responsibilities.

Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Render emergency medical treatment and transport patients.
Initial reading of EKG's.
Assess patients' symptoms while conducting initial injury evaluation.
Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
Perform wound care.perform laceration repair including suturing.

General surgery physician assistant vs physician extender skills

Common general surgery physician assistant skills

Patients, 34%
Plastic Surgery, 20%
Patient Care, 13%
Physician Assistants, 6%
Surgical Procedures, 4%
Physical Examinations, 3%

Common physician extender skills

Patients, 43%
Patient Care, 15%
Medical Care, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Clinical Care, 3%

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General Surgery Physician Assistant
General Surgery Physician Assistant vs Physician Extender

Updated January 8, 2025

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