Physician Assistant (PA) vs. Doctor: What Are the Differences?

The healthcare industry abounds with fascinating and rewarding professions, and physician assistants (PAs) and medical doctors (MDs) are arguably highly ranked among them.¹ As two of the most vital roles in medicine, both PAs and MDs have the capacity to greatly enhance the health and wellness of others—they have the ability to save lives and make a positive, enduring impact on their communities.²

If you’re determined to join the promising and fulfilling medical field, you may be torn between becoming a physician assistant or a doctor. PAs and MDs are rigorously educated and trained to offer quality care, from pediatrics to emergency medicine.³ Both enjoy robust salaries.⁴,⁵

So what is the difference between a PA and a doctor?

Read on to uncover the physician assistant vs. doctor debate so that you can make a smart, thoroughly informed decision about which path to pursue.

What Is a Physician Assistant?

So, what is a PA? A physician assistant is an advanced, licensed healthcare provider who is trained in general medicine and performs many of the same duties as a medical doctor.⁶

This healthcare role was established in 1967 to fill a gap in the shortage of primary care; today, more than 168,300 PAs practice in the United States.⁷ Deemed one of the most crucial roles in modern medicine, physician assistants have helped to expand access to healthcare amid the increasing shortage of licensed physicians.⁸,⁹

Why should you become a PA? PAs often have the option to select a specialty, such as emergency medicine or psychiatry.¹⁰,¹¹ This enables them to work in the category of healthcare that resonates with them.

What Is a Medical Doctor?

Medical doctors are licensed physicians who are comprehensively trained in allopathic—or conventional—medicine. MDs are equipped to diagnose and treat patients with contemporary medical inventions and interventions, including:¹²

• X-rays
• Surgery
• Prescription medications

MDs may work in a primary care or internal medicine settings or, with further education and clinical training, subspecialize in a variety of fields such as surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology or geriatric medicine.¹³

What Can a PA and Doctor Both Do?

As you might imagine, PAs and MDs have many similar, even overlapping, responsibilities. They often work together as part of a collaborative healthcare team to deliver excellent care to their patients. Both perform functions in in-home healthcare and medical facilities, such as:¹⁴

• Conducting patient exams
• Ordering diagnostic tests and interpreting their findings
• Developing treatment plans
• Providing counsel on preventative patient care
• Preventative medicine
• Prescribing medications
• Performing medical procedures

Physician Assistant vs. Doctor: Five Key Differences

The number of tasks that both PAs and MDs perform may blur the distinction between the two roles for patients.¹⁵ While their obligations are similar, there are several differences between their educational trajectories and their roles.¹⁶

If you’ve searched “difference between PA and doctor,” these five primary differences should provide you with a more complete picture of each profession.

#1. Autonomy

One of the biggest differences between a PA and a doctor is that PAs work under the supervision of a physician.¹⁷

Working with “supervision” does not mean that a doctor is present all the times, but they are available for support, should the PA need it. There is an agreement that is developed between both parties called a “scope of practice” or “delegation of services agreement.” This helps the PA and supervising physician come to an agreement regarding the skills of each provider and develop some parameters for how they work together.¹⁸

Individual state laws determine the scope of practice for PAs—and this is subject to change.¹⁹ (Each state’s medical board or PA licensing entity can provide the most up-to-date information on what this scope is.) A PA’s employer and their level of education and experience also influence their scope of practice.²⁰

There are also varying rules state to state regarding specific practice regulations, including prescriptive authority, so it is important for PAs to be aware of the regulations in the state where they may consider practicing in the future.

This is changing and will continue to change as the healthcare field faces a progressive loss of physicians and as PAs advocate for more autonomy and authority over the extent of their practice.²¹,²² For now, nearly every state requires PAs to work with some oversight by an MD.

#2. Education Requirements

PAs are trained under the same medical model as physicians and, according to the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), PAs obtain the second-highest level of clinical education, following MDs.²³

That said, the duration and depth of each role’s education differs:

• Medical doctors – Following a four-year undergraduate program, an MD candidate must attend four years of medical school.²⁴ This is appended with a three-to-seven-year residency program. If MDs choose a specialty—such as surgery—they may be required to complete a residency in this focus area.
• Physician Assistants generally graduate from a four-year undergraduate program prior to applying to PA school. Many students will need to take additional prerequisite courses prior to applying to PA school to satisfy individual program admission requirements. PA programs offer a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS).²⁵ MSPAS programs generally take a little more than two years but vary program to program—and consist of didactic and clinical learning.

PAs enter the workforce at a much faster rate than MDs. For some, the opportunity to practice, earn and work directly with patients sooner is one of the most compelling and appealing aspects of becoming a PA. PAs often enter their graduate studies with ample experience in the medical field, either as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or medical assistant (MA).²⁶

#3. Certification and Licensure

Completing a graduate PA or MD program is only one part of the equation. Both roles must become licensed at the state level and maintain their licensure through continuing education and relicensing exams. Specifically:

• Physician assistants must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).²⁷ To maintain their license, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every two years and pass the recertification exam every ten years.²⁸ Depending on the state in which a PA lives and their place of employment, they may also need to hold a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.²⁹
• Medical doctors must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).³⁰ This is followed by board certification (not a legal requirement, but it is required by many healthcare employers), and ongoing CME and recertification requirements. The timing for when the recertification exam must be completed and passed will depend on the state of residency.³¹

When it comes to the physician assistant vs. doctor debate, remember that both roles must continue to sharpen their skills and knowledge. Completing graduate studies is just one of many steps. However, both are positioned to be rewarding careers.

#4. Salary

As PAs attend school for less time than MDs, you might think that there is a substantial gap between their salaries. Just remember, earning potential is only one aspect of career consideration BUT, it is important to consider the financial picture as one part of choosing the career for you.

• Physician assistants – The median annual income for PAs is $121,530 in May 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).³² The top ten percent of PAs may earn more than $164,620 per year.
• Medical doctors — MDs enjoy a median annual income of about $208,000.³³ Cardiologists earn the highest medical salary, with a median annual income of $353,970.³⁴ Anesthesiologists are the second-highest paid at $331,190 annually, while pediatricians earn a median annual income of $198,420 per year.³⁵

#5. Student Loan Debt

The salary potential for both MDs and PAs is promising.

However, it’s important to remember that MDs typically leave school with student debt. In fact, the median amount they owe in student loans is nearly $200,000—and this doesn’t take into account the costs associated with earning their undergraduate degree.³⁶

Meanwhile, PAs complete school with approximately half of the median student loan debt, or roughly $112,500.³⁷

This may seem like a significant financial burden for either profession, but there are several ways to repay your debts and finance your education.³⁸ In turn, you will obtain the skills and confidence that you need for a lasting and rewarding career.

Discover Your HealthCare Calling

The physician assistant vs. doctor query has likely existed since the PA career path was created in the 1960s. Both PAs and MDs are an indispensable part of any thriving healthcare facility. Deciding between the two will naturally come down to the amount of time you want to dedicate to your education and how quickly you want to start fulfilling your mission to improve the lives of others. Plus, PAs may choose to advance their career and earn their Doctor of Medicine (MD) at a later time.³⁹

If you choose to pursue a career as a PA, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) can help you on your journey. USAHS is now accepting applications for our new Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program.

Request more information about our programs and apply now to set the scene for an energizing career in healthcare.

Programmatic Accreditation

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’ (USAHS) Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences anticipates matriculating its first MSPAS class in January 2024, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the September 2023 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PAStandardsor when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with theStandardsas it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Programs that do not use the accreditation language providing status or that provide inaccurate or misleading information about the process and their status as an applicant may have the date of their assigned agenda altered.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

However, Accreditation-Provisional is an active accreditation status. PA program graduates will be deemed to have graduated from an accredited program if their PA degree program was accredited at the time of their matriculation.

In the event that the program is not granted Accreditation-Provisional status by the ARC-PA, students accepted into USAHS’ MSPAS program will receive a full refund of their deposit and the program will not matriculate in January 2024.

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