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The differences between clinical medical assistants and optometric 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 an optometric assistant. Additionally, an optometric assistant has an average salary of $98,734, which is higher than the $37,052 average annual salary of a clinical medical assistant.
The top three skills for a clinical medical assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for an optometric assistant are patients, appointment scheduling, and customer service.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Optometric Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,052 | $98,734 |
| Hourly rate | $17.81 | $47.47 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 233,464 | 142,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| 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.
An optometric assistant performs a variety of support tasks to assist optometrists and maintain a smooth flow of operations at clinics. They typically greet clients and identify their eye and vision care needs, answer inquiries, gather patient histories and other information, prepare and assist the clients for vision tests, and administer eye drops. They may also perform clerical tasks such as processing documents, organizing files, handling calls and correspondence, liaising with external partners such as suppliers and vendors, and updating databases. Moreover, an optometric assistant may also adjust and repair glasses, all according to the clients' needs.
Clinical medical assistants and optometric assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Optometric Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,052 | $98,734 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $46,000 | Between $66,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | QPS |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a clinical medical assistant and an optometric assistant in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Optometric Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between clinical medical assistants' and optometric assistants' demographics:
| Clinical Medical Assistant | Optometric Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.8% Female, 89.2% | Male, 9.6% Female, 90.4% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.0% Asian, 9.8% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |