Physician extender vs certified athletic trainer

The differences between physician extenders and certified athletic trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physician extender has an average salary of $244,718, which is higher than the $47,184 average annual salary of a certified athletic trainer.

The top three skills for a physician extender include patients, patient care and medical care. The most important skills for a certified athletic trainer are rehabilitation, CPR, and patient care.

Physician extender vs certified athletic trainer overview

	Physician Extender	Certified Athletic Trainer
Yearly salary	$244,718	$47,184
Hourly rate	$117.65	$22.68
Growth rate	28%	17%
Number of jobs	73,599	90,171
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	39	40
Years of experience	-	4

What does a physician extender do?

Physician extenders are not physicians. However, physician extenders perform a vital task in the overall care of patients. They diagnose and treat medical conditions, document and update patient records, consult patients, and perform physical exams. They may serve either as physician assistants or nurse practitioners. In becoming a physician extender, they must be a registered nurse or must have medical experience by working in the medical field even at a lower level. They need to be a regulatory agency certified and licensed instructor in their region or state.

What does a certified athletic trainer do?

A certified athletic trainer is a health and medical expert who specializes in providing health care assistance to athletes. They typically devise strategies to prevent injuries during training sessions and other activities, develop health care plans, and provide immediate care or first aid when injuries occur. There are also instances where they work together with physicians and other health care professionals, such as when diagnosing and treating injuries, developing rehabilitation structures, and administrating other health care services.

Physician extender vs certified athletic trainer salary

Physician extenders and certified athletic trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physician Extender	Certified Athletic Trainer
Average salary	$244,718	$47,184
Salary range	Between $125,000 And $476,000	Between $36,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	Des Moines, IA	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	New Mexico	Connecticut
Best paying company	UnitedHealth Group	The American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between physician extender and certified athletic trainer education

There are a few differences between a physician extender and a certified athletic trainer in terms of educational background:

	Physician Extender	Certified Athletic Trainer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Athletic Training	Athletic Training
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physician extender vs certified athletic trainer demographics

Here are the differences between physician extenders' and certified athletic trainers' demographics:

	Physician Extender	Certified Athletic Trainer
Average age	39	40
Gender ratio	Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6%	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 8.3% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	10%

Differences between physician extender and certified athletic trainer duties and responsibilities

Physician extender example responsibilities.

Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Render emergency medical treatment and transport patients.
Initial reading of EKG's.
Assess patients' symptoms while conducting initial injury evaluation.
Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
Perform wound care.perform laceration repair including suturing.

Certified athletic trainer example responsibilities.

Provide clinical rehabilitation and evaluation for orthopedic patients
Implement OSHA blood borne pathogen controls.
Follow OSHA guidelines to maintain a clean and safe environment for all.
Contract out for club soccer, rugby, volleyball and baseball events.
Sport coverage include: lacrosse, football, soccer, ice-hockey, and wrestling.
Facilitate all durable medical equipment orders on behalf of patients in addition to leading daily office operations as needed

Physician extender vs certified athletic trainer skills

Common physician extender skills

Patients, 43%
Patient Care, 15%
Medical Care, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Clinical Care, 3%

Common certified athletic trainer skills

Rehabilitation, 20%
CPR, 15%
Patient Care, 14%
Patients, 12%
Injury Prevention, 7%
Athletic Events, 6%

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Physician Extender
Physician Extender vs Certified Athletic Trainer

Updated January 8, 2025

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