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The differences between clinical assistants and medical 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 medical laboratory assistant. Additionally, a medical laboratory assistant has an average salary of $34,673, 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 medical laboratory assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $34,673 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $16.67 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 124,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| 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 medical laboratory assistant is in charge of performing support tasks while under the supervision and directives of a more experienced medical technician or scientist. Their responsibilities typically revolve around collecting samples such as blood and tissues, preparing slides, running tests using machines and equipment, and maintaining records of all procedures and results. Furthermore, a medical laboratory assistant must also keep the cleanliness of the laboratory, organize and monitor inventories, procure supplies, and implement the laboratory's policies and regulations.
Clinical assistants and medical laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $34,673 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Eugene, OR |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a medical laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and medical laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 18.9% Female, 81.1% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 51.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |