Pain management physician vs clinical physician assistant

The differences between pain management physicians and clinical physician assistants 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 $145,549 average annual salary of a clinical physician assistant.

The top three skills for a pain management physician include pain management, patients and primary care. The most important skills for a clinical physician assistant are patients, primary care, and medical care.

Pain management physician vs clinical physician assistant overview

	Pain Management Physician	Clinical Physician Assistant
Yearly salary	$253,724	$145,549
Hourly rate	$121.98	$69.98
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	109,196	94,210
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

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.

What does a clinical physician assistant do?

A clinical physician assistant is in charge of performing support tasks in clinics, hospitals, and similar establishments. Typically serving as the patients' first point of contact, it is their responsibility to gather the personal and medical information of patients, identify their needs, answer inquiries, and escort them to offices and other rooms. They may also perform clerical tasks such as answering calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, preparing and filing documentation, and coordinating with other offices. Moreover, a clinical physician assistant must maintain an active communication line with physicians and nurses, assisting them as needed.

Pain management physician vs clinical physician assistant salary

Pain management physicians and clinical physician assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pain Management Physician	Clinical Physician Assistant
Average salary	$253,724	$145,549
Salary range	Between $129,000 And $497,000	Between $84,000 And $252,000
Highest paying City	Grand Island, NE	Duluth, MN
Highest paying state	Nebraska	Minnesota
Best paying company	HealthPartners	Central Ohio Primary Care
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Non Profits

Differences between pain management physician and clinical physician assistant education

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

	Pain Management Physician	Clinical Physician Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Nursing	Physician Assistant
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Pain management physician vs clinical physician assistant demographics

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

	Pain Management Physician	Clinical Physician Assistant
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%	Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 11.5% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

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

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.

Clinical physician assistant example responsibilities.

Implement and manage cardiology internship college course.
Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Complete nursing assessments, complete care plans, perform ADL's, utilize lifts, alarms and transfer patients safely.
Care for multiple patients in a fast pace setting and provide total care including all treatments, medications and ADL's.
Perform tracheostomy care and suctioning for ventilator dependent patients.
Provide physical therapy services in the inpatient rehabilitation unit and oncology floor.

Pain management physician vs clinical physician assistant skills

Common pain management physician skills

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

Common clinical physician assistant skills

Patients, 30%
Primary Care, 6%
Medical Care, 6%
Family Medicine, 5%
Urgent Care, 5%
Diagnostic Tests, 4%

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Pain Management Physician
Pain Management Physician vs Clinical Physician Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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