Medical doctor vs physician assistant

The differences between medical doctors and physician assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a medical doctor has an average salary of $181,967, which is higher than the $118,812 average annual salary of a physician assistant.

The top three skills for a medical doctor include patients, patient care and internal medicine. The most important skills for a physician assistant are patients, diagnostic tests, and surgery.

Medical doctor vs physician assistant overview

	Medical Doctor	Physician Assistant
Yearly salary	$181,967	$118,812
Hourly rate	$87.48	$57.12
Growth rate	7%	28%
Number of jobs	60,642	39,752
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	48	39
Years of experience	4	-

What does a medical doctor do?

A Medical Doctor, also known as a physician, is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats patients from injuries and illnesses. As a Medical Doctor, your day-to-day duties will typically include assessing a patient's symptoms, prescribing and administering treatment to patients, and providing follow-up medical care to patients. You will be responsible for interpreting patients' laboratory results and referring them to other providers when needed. Also, you will need to work closely with other healthcare professionals and promote health education.

What does a physician assistant do?

The physician assistant, also known as "PA," is now considered a key player to any healthcare team. Physician assistants are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of licensed physicians. They work on several areas of medicine, from primary care to emergency service and even psychiatry. Neither they are a doctor nor a physician, but their job profile showcases many of these responsibilities. More than as assistants to the doctors, they are also equipped to examine, diagnose, and develop treatment strategies for patients.

Medical doctor vs physician assistant salary

Medical doctors and physician assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Doctor	Physician Assistant
Average salary	$181,967	$118,812
Salary range	Between $95,000 And $347,000	Between $70,000 And $201,000
Highest paying City	Brownsville, TX	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Vermont
Best paying company	Pacific Medical Centers	Marshall University
Best paying industry	Transportation	Education

Differences between medical doctor and physician assistant education

There are a few differences between a medical doctor and a physician assistant in terms of educational background:

	Medical Doctor	Physician Assistant
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Medicine	Physician Assistant
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Medical doctor vs physician assistant demographics

Here are the differences between medical doctors' and physician assistants' demographics:

	Medical Doctor	Physician Assistant
Average age	48	39
Gender ratio	Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1%	Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 19.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	13%	12%

Differences between medical doctor and physician assistant duties and responsibilities

Medical doctor example responsibilities.

Partner with team to achieve overall well-being patients and contribute to successful department research accreditation.
Perform selection and interpretation of labs including EKG readings, diagnostic imaging, blood work, and urinalyses.
Batch to clearing house, upload files from insurance, data entry answer phones, collect payments over phone, EMR.
Examine patients, order laboratory test and other diagnostic procedures and follow up with acute and chronic diseases
Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
Perform and interpret ECG test.

Physician assistant example responsibilities.

Manage a variety of acute and chronic conditions especially asthma, allergies, injuries, and infectious diseases.
Manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, ASCVD, chronic back and joint pains, depression, and anxiety.
Manage patient surgical care throughout the continuum of care from pre-op, to discharge planning, including ambulatory and hospital in-patients.
Attain pertinent history & physicals for obstetrics and gynecological acute and preventative visits.
Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Aid in the acute management of trauma patients including obtaining appropriate studies, suturing, and CPR.

Medical doctor vs physician assistant skills

Common medical doctor skills

Patients, 30%
Patient Care, 9%
Internal Medicine, 7%
Primary Care, 7%
Diagnosis, 4%
Medical History, 4%

Common physician assistant skills

Patients, 29%
Diagnostic Tests, 6%
Surgery, 5%
Primary Care, 5%
Urgent Care, 4%
CPR, 3%

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Medical Doctor vs Physician Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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