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Doctor assistant vs clinical assistant

The differences between doctor assistants and clinical 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 doctor assistant and a clinical assistant. Additionally, a doctor assistant has an average salary of $34,867, which is higher than the $30,215 average annual salary of a clinical assistant.

The top three skills for a doctor assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a clinical assistant are patients, customer service, and PET.

Doctor assistant vs clinical assistant overview

Doctor AssistantClinical Assistant
Yearly salary$34,867$30,215
Hourly rate$16.76$14.53
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs58,522101,926
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

Doctor assistant vs clinical assistant salary

Doctor assistants and clinical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Doctor AssistantClinical Assistant
Average salary$34,867$30,215
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $51,000Between $13,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City-Brockton, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry-Pharmaceutical

Differences between doctor assistant and clinical assistant education

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

Doctor AssistantClinical Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorNursingPsychology
Most common college--

Doctor assistant vs clinical assistant demographics

Here are the differences between doctor assistants' and clinical assistants' demographics:

Doctor AssistantClinical Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 16.3% Female, 83.7%Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 24.0% Asian, 9.8% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between doctor assistant and clinical assistant duties and responsibilities

Doctor assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage communication between patients and doctor to ensure patient comprehension of treatment plans and manage all triage calls.
  • Manage the movement of patient's through the ER from triage to discharge or to the floor once admit.
  • Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, performing procedures and managing emergencies.
  • Maintain confidentiality with patients and follow HIPAA regulations.
  • Perform background physical evaluation with patients -assist physicians with daily patient care -Liaison between patients and attending physician.
  • Handle medical emergencies by employing knowledge of first aid and CPR.
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Clinical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Participate in multiple studies managing CTM activities for various therapeutic areas simultaneously including oncology, urology, transplant, and immunology.
  • Interview patients and interpret EKG recordings transmit via telephone.
  • Maintain CPR certification on yearly basis and perform errands as per the instructions of supervisor.
  • Act as a paramedic including CPR, heart defibrillator, first aid, emergency care.
  • Schedule necessary test such as nerve conductions studies, bone scans, and MRI's.
  • Conduct mini-meetings with small groups of doctors to encourage them to take ownership of their EMR forms.
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Doctor assistant vs clinical assistant skills

Common doctor assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Appointment Scheduling, 4%
  • Lab Results, 3%
  • EKG, 3%
Common clinical assistant skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • PET, 8%
  • Vital Signs, 6%
  • CPR, 3%
  • Phlebotomy, 3%

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