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Primary care physician vs family practice physician

The differences between primary care physicians and family practice physicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a primary care physician and a family practice physician. Additionally, a primary care physician has an average salary of $214,843, which is higher than the $205,717 average annual salary of a family practice physician.

The top three skills for a primary care physician include patients, internal medicine and family practice. The most important skills for a family practice physician are patients, family practice, and primary care.

Primary care physician vs family practice physician overview

Primary Care PhysicianFamily Practice Physician
Yearly salary$214,843$205,717
Hourly rate$103.29$98.90
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs130,60655,016
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age4848
Years of experience44

What does a primary care physician do?

A Primary Care Physician is responsible for providing regular medical care for their patients. They provide personal assistance, medical attention, and emotional support to others, such as coworkers, customers, and patients.

What does a family practice physician do?

Family practice physicians provide comprehensive medical care services to each family member. These services may include disease diagnosis and treatment, family planning, and immunizations. They typically have undergone specialty training on the various primary care disciplines, including preventive care, pediatric medicine, and OB care. They are responsible for diagnosing and treating illnesses and medical conditions, providing routine health screenings, and advising patients on lifestyle changes to prevent diseases. Family practice physicians supervise physician assistants, medical assistants, and nurses and coordinate with occupational and rehabilitation therapists on a patient's behalf.

Primary care physician vs family practice physician salary

Primary care physicians and family practice physicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Primary Care PhysicianFamily Practice Physician
Average salary$214,843$205,717
Salary rangeBetween $134,000 And $344,000Between $136,000 And $310,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAFargo, ND
Highest paying stateNorth DakotaNorth Dakota
Best paying companyAlameda Health SystemCentral Ohio Primary Care
Best paying industryInsuranceHealth Care

Differences between primary care physician and family practice physician education

There are a few differences between a primary care physician and a family practice physician in terms of educational background:

Primary Care PhysicianFamily Practice Physician
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorMedicineMedicine
Most common collegeDuke UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Primary care physician vs family practice physician demographics

Here are the differences between primary care physicians' and family practice physicians' demographics:

Primary Care PhysicianFamily Practice Physician
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 49.4% Female, 50.6%Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between primary care physician and family practice physician duties and responsibilities

Primary care physician example responsibilities.

  • Full spectrum of family medicine, including obstetrics, pediatrics and inpatient medicine.
  • Maintain renewal for physicians' licenses, DEA certificates, ACLS certifications and CME records.
  • Attend ICU patient care rounds with the medical team.
  • Display technical proficiency in using NaturaeSoft electronic medical record (EMR).
  • Provide on-site, immediate response for all hospital emergencies following ACLS protocols.
  • Enter prescriptions on computer, giving injections, filing charting information in patient chart.
    • Show more

Family practice physician example responsibilities.

  • Manage conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, asthma, and GERD.
  • Provide and perform x-rays and EKG upon doctor's request.
  • Perform EHR practice assessments and work and documentation flow analysis and redesign.
  • Review EHR on an as needed basis per missing information or documentation.
  • Review and help select EMR and transition providers and clinics to the new system.
  • Float to various departments such as the emergency room, ICU, and geriatric psych.
    • Show more

Primary care physician vs family practice physician skills

Common primary care physician skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Internal Medicine, 14%
  • Family Practice, 11%
  • Urgent Care, 8%
  • Pediatrics, 7%
  • Patient Care, 6%
Common family practice physician skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Family Practice, 19%
  • Primary Care, 14%
  • Urgent Care, 11%
  • EMR, 8%
  • Internal Medicine, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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