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The differences between medical specialists and general practitioners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical specialist, becoming a general practitioner takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a general practitioner has an average salary of $172,831, which is higher than the $40,277 average annual salary of a medical specialist.
The top three skills for a medical specialist include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a general practitioner are patients, diagnosis, and internal medicine.
| Medical Specialist | General Practitioner | |
| Yearly salary | $40,277 | $172,831 |
| Hourly rate | $19.36 | $83.09 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 68,607 | 64,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Doctoral Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Medical specialists are responsible for diagnosing patients and performing medical procedures according to their areas of expertise. They coordinate with the clinical team on administering medications, conducting laboratory examinations, and monitoring admitted patients, ensuring that they receive high-quality care services from the medical staff. A medical specialist also communicates with the patients' families to respond to their medical inquiries and concerns, as well as providing them with updates on the patients' progress. A medical specialist observes the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities at all times, including the inspection of medical tools and equipment for operations.
A General Practitioner provides primary and continuing medical care for patients within their community. They are responsible for diagnosing patients, checking patients results, and providing treatment as required.
Medical specialists and general practitioners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Specialist | General Practitioner | |
| Average salary | $40,277 | $172,831 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $75,000 | Between $85,000 And $347,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | Adobe | Altru Health System |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical specialist and a general practitioner in terms of educational background:
| Medical Specialist | General Practitioner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Doctoral Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medicine |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between medical specialists' and general practitioners' demographics:
| Medical Specialist | General Practitioner | |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 60.9% Female, 39.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 9.0% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 13% |