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The differences between clinical assistants and clinical technicians 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 technician. Additionally, a clinical technician has an average salary of $35,760, 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 technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $35,760 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 161,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| 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 technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.
Clinical assistants and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $35,760 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and clinical technicians' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% |
| 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, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |