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The differences between clinical medical 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 medical assistant and a medical laboratory assistant. Additionally, a clinical medical assistant has an average salary of $37,052, which is higher than the $34,673 average annual salary of a medical laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a clinical medical assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a medical laboratory assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,052 | $34,673 |
| Hourly rate | $17.81 | $16.67 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 233,464 | 124,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| 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 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 medical assistants and medical laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,052 | $34,673 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $46,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Eugene, OR |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical medical assistant and a medical laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between clinical medical assistants' and medical laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Medical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.8% Female, 89.2% | Male, 18.9% Female, 81.1% |
| 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, 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% |