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The differences between clinical assistants and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, 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 doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.
| Clinical Assistant | Doctor | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $208,582 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $100.28 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 14,571 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 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 doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.
Clinical assistants and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Doctor | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $208,582 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $106,000 And $408,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Green Bay, WI |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Ohio |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Saint Luke's Health System |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a doctor in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Doctor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Medicine |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and doctors' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Doctor | |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% |
| 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, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 13% |