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The differences between clinical assistants and medical research 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 research assistant. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, 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 research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,215 | $40,303 |
| Hourly rate | $14.53 | $19.38 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 101,926 | 125,533 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| 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 research assistant is primarily in charge of performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar environment. Their responsibilities include gathering and organizing samples, preparing the laboratories and other facilities, compiling and managing data, updating databases, and conducting examinations and analysis, all while adhering to the laboratory's policies and regulations. They may also liaise with clients, answering inquiries as necessary. Furthermore, it is vital to maintain an active line with researchers, coordinating with them every step of the way to ensure an efficient workflow.
Clinical assistants and medical research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,215 | $40,303 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $66,000 | Between $25,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brockton, MA | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Norton Rose Fulbright |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Education |
There are a few differences between a clinical assistant and a medical research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between clinical assistants' and medical research assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |