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The differences between clinical assistants and clinical laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a clinical assistant and a clinical laboratory assistant. Additionally, a clinical laboratory assistant has an average salary of $32,679, which is higher than the $30,215 average annual salary of a clinical assistant.
The top three skills for a clinical assistant include patients, customer service and PET. The most important skills for a clinical laboratory assistant are patients, phlebotomy, and clinical lab.
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $32,679 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $15.71 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 108,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A clinical assistant is responsible for assisting medical professionals with medical procedures and ensure a high level of patient care. Clinical assistants perform minor clinic procedures such as taking patients' temperature, sterilizing medical equipment, proper dumping of disposable items, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, processing payments, arranging appointment schedules, and maintaining an organized record of patients' information, such as their medical history and health insurance records. A clinical assistant must strictly adhere to sanitary and hygienic procedures at all times to promote a safe and clean environment for the patients.
A clinical laboratory assistant specializes in performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar setting using their in-depth knowledge. They are primarily responsible for assisting researchers, preparing samples and apparatus, conducting experiments and analysis, maintaining extensive documentation of all processes and results, and reporting to management. Moreover, a clinical laboratory assistant is also responsible for gathering necessary information before beginning studies and maintaining the laboratory's cleanliness and sanitation. It is vital to implement all the safety rules and regulations to ensure a safe and productive work environment.
Clinical assistants and clinical laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $32,679 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Roswell Park |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a clinical laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | - | New York University |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and clinical laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 25.4% Female, 74.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 12.1% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |