Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between geriatric nursing assistants and registered medical assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-3 months to become a geriatric nursing assistant, becoming a registered medical assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a registered medical assistant has an average salary of $36,580, which is higher than the $34,595 average annual salary of a geriatric nursing assistant.
The top three skills for a geriatric nursing assistant include patients, rehabilitation and vital signs. The most important skills for a registered medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and office procedures.
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,595 | $36,580 |
| Hourly rate | $16.63 | $17.59 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 137,681 | 183,988 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 12 |
A geriatric nursing assistant is responsible for assisting elderly patients with their daily activities in a health care institution or private household setting. Geriatric nursing assistants monitor the patients' conditions, maintain an organized record of medical charts, administer medications, and update the attending physician for any health concerns. They also guide the patients with their doctor appointments, process medical documents, and coordinate with medical staff for medical procedures and payments. A geriatric nursing assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills to ensure high-quality care services for the patients and help them improve their lifestyle.
The primary job of registered medical assistants is to perform clinical and administrative tasks in a healthcare setting. They offer support services to physicians, so the latter have plenty of time to care for patients. They carry out varied administrative, clerical, and clinical tasks that include taking vital signs, filing records, and scheduling patient appointments. Other responsibilities include discussing treatment procedures to patients, interacting with patients, and collecting laboratory specimens such as tissue and blood. Ideal characteristics to become a registered medical assistant include being compassionate, can work well with people, and adaptable.
Geriatric nursing assistants and registered medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,595 | $36,580 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $26,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | Griffin Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a geriatric nursing assistant and a registered medical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between geriatric nursing assistants' and registered medical assistants' demographics:
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% | Male, 8.2% Female, 91.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 20.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |