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The differences between clinical medical assistants and medical clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a clinical medical assistant, becoming a medical clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical medical assistant has an average salary of $37,052, which is higher than the $32,439 average annual salary of a medical clerk.
The top three skills for a clinical medical assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a medical clerk are patients, medical terminology, and data entry.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $37,052 | $32,439 |
| Hourly rate | $17.81 | $15.60 |
| Growth rate | 16% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 233,464 | 166,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 26% |
| Average age | 37 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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 medical clerk works in the administrative area of a medical facility or hospital. The medical clerk collects all patient information and medical records. The clerk also does all the clinic or hospital paperwork and generates reports of all transactions that transpired in a day's work. The medical clerk also processes admission and discharge papers, medical charts, properly file and safeguard all patient records and secure them from unauthorized access. The medical clerk is expected to be highly organized, capable of handling pressure, and has good communication skills.
Clinical medical assistants and medical clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Average salary | $37,052 | $32,439 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $46,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Brinks Gilson |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a clinical medical assistant and a medical clerk in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 26% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between clinical medical assistants' and medical clerks' demographics:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Average age | 37 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.8% Female, 89.2% | Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5% |
| 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, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |