Physical therapist vs doctor

The differences between physical therapists 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 $73,070 average annual salary of a physical therapist.

The top three skills for a physical therapist include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.

Physical therapist vs doctor overview

	Physical Therapist	Doctor
Yearly salary	$73,070	$208,582
Hourly rate	$35.13	$100.28
Growth rate	17%	7%
Number of jobs	86,697	14,571
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	41	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

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.

Physical therapist vs doctor salary

Physical therapists and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physical Therapist	Doctor
Average salary	$73,070	$208,582
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $94,000	Between $106,000 And $408,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Green Bay, WI
Highest paying state	California	Ohio
Best paying company	Parkway	Saint Luke's Health System
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between physical therapist and doctor education

There are a few differences between a physical therapist and a doctor in terms of educational background:

	Physical Therapist	Doctor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Physical Therapy	Medicine
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Physical therapist vs doctor demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapists' and doctors' demographics:

	Physical Therapist	Doctor
Average age	41	48
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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	12%	13%

Differences between physical therapist and doctor duties and responsibilities

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

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.

Physical therapist vs doctor skills

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

Common doctor skills

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

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Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist vs Doctor

Updated January 8, 2025

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