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The differences between public health physicians and public health assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a public health physician, becoming a public health assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a public health physician has an average salary of $199,316, which is higher than the $38,433 average annual salary of a public health assistant.
The top three skills for a public health physician include patients, primary care and patient care. The most important skills for a public health assistant are NYC, school health, and patients.
| Public Health Physician | Public Health Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $199,316 | $38,433 |
| Hourly rate | $95.83 | $18.48 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 93,090 | 105,104 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A public health physician provides health services in communities, treating and diagnosing illnesses and injuries, referring patients to other services when necessary. Besides providing direct health care, they also spearhead various programs focusing on disease and injury prevention, help local communities in dealing with natural disasters and outbreaks, and facilitating seminars and information drives. Moreover, a public health physician may also utilize their health care expertise by participating in various studies and research programs meant to help communities.
Public Health Assistants will require good communication, teamwork, initiative, interpersonal, problem-solving, and analytical skills for this career choice, as well as a strong work ethic and the ability to be flexible and adaptable. Applicants can expect a payout of around $34K per year in this career choice, which will also require a diploma or GED, plus a master's degree in public health, after which they will be required to improve individual and societal health by monitoring healthy lifestyles, as well as practice preventative measures for injuries and disease and controlling infectious diseases. Their health concerns range from small communities to the entire planet.
Public health physicians and public health assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Health Physician | Public Health Assistant | |
| Average salary | $199,316 | $38,433 |
| Salary range | Between $103,000 And $382,000 | Between $27,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Ana, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Alameda Health System | Emory Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a public health physician and a public health assistant in terms of educational background:
| Public Health Physician | Public Health Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Public Health |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | - |
Here are the differences between public health physicians' and public health assistants' demographics:
| Public Health Physician | Public Health Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.1% Female, 67.9% | Male, 21.6% Female, 78.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 18.9% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% Asian, 9.3% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 6% |