Physician assistant vs pain management physician

The differences between physician assistants and pain management physicians 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 $118,812 average annual salary of a physician assistant.

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

Physician assistant vs pain management physician overview

	Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Yearly salary	$118,812	$253,724
Hourly rate	$57.12	$121.98
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	39,752	109,196
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

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.

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.

Physician assistant vs pain management physician salary

Physician assistants and pain management physicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Average salary	$118,812	$253,724
Salary range	Between $70,000 And $201,000	Between $129,000 And $497,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Grand Island, NE
Highest paying state	Vermont	Nebraska
Best paying company	Marshall University	HealthPartners
Best paying industry	Education	Pharmaceutical

Differences between physician assistant and pain management physician education

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

	Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Physician Assistant	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Physician assistant vs pain management physician demographics

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

	Physician Assistant	Pain Management Physician
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4%	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%
Race ratio	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%	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%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physician assistant and pain management physician duties and responsibilities

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.

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.

Physician assistant vs pain management physician skills

Common physician assistant skills

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

Common pain management physician skills

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

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Physician Assistant vs Pain Management Physician

Updated January 8, 2025

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