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Clinical medical assistant vs student medical assistant

The differences between clinical medical assistants and student medical 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 student medical assistant. Additionally, a student medical assistant has an average salary of $37,781, 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 a student medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and laboratory specimens.

Clinical medical assistant vs student medical assistant overview

Clinical Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Yearly salary$37,052$37,781
Hourly rate$17.81$18.16
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs233,464181,396
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Associate Degree, 28%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a clinical medical assistant do?

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.

What does a student medical assistant do?

It is evident that the student medical assistant does work for the administration and clinical expertise. One must know that they are known as medical analysts and devote themselves to addressing the problem of patients and medical assistants.

Clinical medical assistant vs student medical assistant salary

Clinical medical assistants and student medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Clinical Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Average salary$37,052$37,781
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $46,000Between $26,000 And $53,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyBrigham and Women's Hospital-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between clinical medical assistant and student medical assistant education

There are a few differences between a clinical medical assistant and a student medical assistant in terms of educational background:

Clinical Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Associate Degree, 28%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Clinical medical assistant vs student medical assistant demographics

Here are the differences between clinical medical assistants' and student medical assistants' demographics:

Clinical Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 10.8% Female, 89.2%Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.4% Asian, 9.2% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between clinical medical assistant and student medical assistant duties and responsibilities

Clinical medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Obtain vital signs, calculate body mass indexes, administer intramuscular injections, administer venipuncture on patients using aseptic technique.
  • Treat patients and coworkers with dignity, respect and compassion.
  • Obtain EKG's and vitals along with medical history, family history, current medications and chief complaints.
  • Present data in a Powerpoint presentation in mentoring professor's classes.
  • Process super-bills for submission to CPR billing, and daily bank deposits.
  • Order new equipment and work with word, excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Show more

Student medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Provide supportive counseling and utilize motivation interviewing to improve patients' ability to manage their medical diagnoses
  • Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, performing procedures and managing emergencies.
  • Assist patients with consent forms, HIPAA questions and insurance verification to ensure accurate and timely care.
  • Used word processor and gain experience in EHR software.
  • Prepare examination rooms, take patient vitals, and update EHR.
  • Perform routine tests such as hearing tests, EKG's, vision tests, and specimen collection.
  • Show more

Clinical medical assistant vs student medical assistant skills

Common clinical medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Patient Care, 12%
  • Vital Signs, 10%
  • CPR, 4%
  • Customer Service, 4%
  • Medical Assistants, 4%
Common student medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • Laboratory Specimens, 6%
  • EKG, 5%
  • Surgical Procedures, 5%
  • Patient History, 4%

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