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The differences between lead medical assistants and medical research 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 lead medical assistant and a medical research assistant. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, which is higher than the $38,303 average annual salary of a lead medical assistant.
The top three skills for a lead medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a medical research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.
| Lead Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,303 | $40,303 |
| Hourly rate | $18.41 | $19.38 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 163,228 | 125,533 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A lead medical assistant performs administrative support tasks for clinical teams to provide optimal care and services to patients. They work under the supervision of a clinical manager whom they report to regularly. Among their responsibilities include establishing staff schedules and guidelines, conducting research and analysis, coordinating staff, reviewing medical charts and reports, organizing documents, and training new members of the workforce. Moreover, they may also assist patients by answering inquiries, performing follow-up calls to confirm appointment schedules, and preparing patients by giving them the information they need.
A medical research assistant is primarily in charge of performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar environment. Their responsibilities include gathering and organizing samples, preparing the laboratories and other facilities, compiling and managing data, updating databases, and conducting examinations and analysis, all while adhering to the laboratory's policies and regulations. They may also liaise with clients, answering inquiries as necessary. Furthermore, it is vital to maintain an active line with researchers, coordinating with them every step of the way to ensure an efficient workflow.
Lead medical assistants and medical research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,303 | $40,303 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $63,000 | Between $25,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Norton Rose Fulbright |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a lead medical assistant and a medical research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Lead Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead medical assistants' and medical research assistants' demographics:
| Lead Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.9% Female, 88.1% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 26.6% Asian, 8.7% White, 49.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |