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The differences between clinical medical 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 medical assistant and a clinical technician. Additionally, a clinical medical assistant has an average salary of $37,052, which is higher than the $35,760 average annual salary of a clinical technician.
The top three skills for a clinical medical assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,052 | $35,760 |
| Hourly rate | $17.81 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 233,464 | 161,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A clinical medical assistant specializes in performing administrative and clinical tasks in a hospital or similar setting. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's information, medical history, test results, and other essential documentation, and updating patient medical records. Other tasks include reaching out to patients' families and guardians, assisting health workers with room preparation and patient care, and preparing medications and other treatments, all in adherence to a physician's directives. Furthermore, a clinical medical assistant may conduct inspections to ensure that the hospital complies with government regulations.
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 medical assistants and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,052 | $35,760 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $46,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a clinical medical assistant and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between clinical medical assistants' and clinical technicians' demographics:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Clinical Technician | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.8% Female, 89.2% | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 9.1% White, 51.0% 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% |