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Doctor assistant vs student medical assistant

The differences between doctor 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 doctor assistant and a student medical assistant. Additionally, a student medical assistant has an average salary of $37,781, which is higher than the $34,867 average annual salary of a doctor assistant.

The top three skills for a doctor assistant include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a student medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and laboratory specimens.

Doctor assistant vs student medical assistant overview

Doctor AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Yearly salary$34,867$37,781
Hourly rate$16.76$18.16
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs58,522181,396
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Associate Degree, 28%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

Doctor assistant vs student medical assistant salary

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

Doctor AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Average salary$34,867$37,781
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $51,000Between $26,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between doctor assistant and student medical assistant education

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

Doctor AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Associate Degree, 28%
Most common majorNursingMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Doctor assistant vs student medical assistant demographics

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

Doctor AssistantStudent Medical Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 16.3% Female, 83.7%Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9%
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, 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 doctor assistant and student medical 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.
  • 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

Doctor assistant vs student medical assistant skills

Common doctor assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Appointment Scheduling, 4%
  • Lab Results, 3%
  • EKG, 3%
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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