Certified physician assistant vs clinical laboratory scientist

The differences between certified physician assistants and clinical laboratory scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified physician assistant has an average salary of $126,201, which is higher than the $67,900 average annual salary of a clinical laboratory scientist.

The top three skills for a certified physician assistant include patients, diagnosis and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a clinical laboratory scientist are patients, test results, and microbiology.

Certified physician assistant vs clinical laboratory scientist overview

	Certified Physician Assistant	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Yearly salary	$126,201	$67,900
Hourly rate	$60.67	$32.64
Growth rate	28%	17%
Number of jobs	123,124	133,838
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	39	44
Years of experience	-	2

What does a certified physician assistant do?

Certified Physician assistants are healthcare professionals who are trained and supervised by a physician to diagnose and treat illness as well as provide preventive care to their patients. These assistants must collaborate with specialists so that they can ensure optimal patient care through formal and informal consultations. They are required to develop and implement new strategies for patient care based on current medical practice guidelines. Certified Physician Assistants must also assist with cases in general surgery such as orthopedic, thoracic, and vascular procedures.

What does a clinical laboratory scientist do?

A Clinical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for performing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose and treat patients. They examine body fluids, tissues, and cells, identify infective microorganisms, and analyze the chemical constituents of body fluids.

Certified physician assistant vs clinical laboratory scientist salary

Certified physician assistants and clinical laboratory scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Physician Assistant	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Average salary	$126,201	$67,900
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $215,000	Between $46,000 And $99,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Westpac
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between certified physician assistant and clinical laboratory scientist education

There are a few differences between a certified physician assistant and a clinical laboratory scientist in terms of educational background:

	Certified Physician Assistant	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Physician Assistant	Medical Technician
Most common college	Duke University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Certified physician assistant vs clinical laboratory scientist demographics

Here are the differences between certified physician assistants' and clinical laboratory scientists' demographics:

	Certified Physician Assistant	Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Average age	39	44
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	12%	8%

Differences between certified physician assistant and clinical laboratory scientist duties and responsibilities

Certified physician assistant example responsibilities.

Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
Provide bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to select patients and provide coordination of patient care in a rural primary care setting.
Perform comprehensive history and physical exams and provide a multidisciplinary care plan for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain.
Perform suturing repair for laceration repairs.
Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
Document all procedures via dictation or handwritten in patient chart.

Clinical laboratory scientist example responsibilities.

Analyze specimens in hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, chemistry, toxicology, blood bank, and limit microbiology and serology.
Perform testing on donor and patient samples on platforms using methodologies including EIA, CLIA, and NAT (PCR).
Perform patient blood analysis, interpret serology, immunology and flowcytometry results.
Provide phlebotomy, specimen processing and laboratory testing for clinical trial studies.
Analyze specimens in areas of hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, and clinical chemistry within time constraints in a high-volume environment.
Perform microbiology, mycology and bacteriology

Certified physician assistant vs clinical laboratory scientist skills

Common certified physician assistant skills

Patients, 25%
Diagnosis, 7%
Surgical Procedures, 5%
Outpatient Clinic, 5%
Urgent Care, 4%
Internal Medicine, 4%

Common clinical laboratory scientist skills

Patients, 12%
Test Results, 8%
Microbiology, 7%
CLS, 7%
Hematology, 6%
ASCP, 6%

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Certified Physician Assistant vs Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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