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Lead medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship

The differences between lead medical assistants and student medical assistant-externships 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 student medical assistant-externship. Additionally, a lead medical assistant has an average salary of $38,303, which is higher than the $35,588 average annual salary of a student medical assistant-externship.

The top three skills for a lead medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a student medical assistant-externship are patients, vital signs, and EKG.

Lead medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship overview

Lead Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Yearly salary$38,303$35,588
Hourly rate$18.41$17.11
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs163,228178,362
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a lead medical assistant do?

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.

What does a student medical assistant-externship do?

Student Medical Assistant Externship is a broad term for catering students for short, reliable, and practical work experience. Once you graduate, you can get a chance to meet contacts that may be useful for your career. You can have a better chance to work in a clinic, hospital, and any medical platform after going through this kind of externship.

Lead medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship salary

Lead medical assistants and student medical assistant-externships have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average salary$38,303$35,588
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $63,000Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between lead medical assistant and student medical assistant-externship education

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

Lead Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Lead medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship demographics

Here are the differences between lead medical assistants' and student medical assistant-externships' demographics:

Lead Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 11.9% Female, 88.1%Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.4% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between lead medical assistant and student medical assistant-externship duties and responsibilities

Lead medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage company financial accounts, including employee payroll and tax document preparations.
  • Ensure the laboratory is CLIA compliant for semi-annual certification, provide annual CLIA waive competence.
  • Perform all staff yearly reviews and yearly competencies on the CLIA waive testing done in the office.
  • Alphabetize medications, accurately update and record patient medications and allergies in patient chart upon each visit.
  • Learned basic human anatomy and physiology.
  • Follow OSHA laboratory safety policies and procedures.
  • Show more

Student medical assistant-externship example responsibilities.

  • Perform EKG's, ear cleanings, injections, nail cultures and assist with women's yearly physicals.
  • Gain experience in performing routine patient care interventions while developing strong organizational skills while caring for patients.
  • Shadowed/Assist official personnel on performance of special procedures, patient evaluation, transporting patients, therapeutic exercises and body mechanics/functional mobility.
  • Observe various departments and operations within the hospital and clinical setting environment including surgery, radiology, urology, and emergency.
  • Review and administration of medications, allergies and other pharmacology relate items.
  • Perform CLIA wave laboratory testing.
  • Show more

Lead medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship skills

Common lead medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Surgical Procedures, 5%
  • EKG, 5%
  • Phlebotomy, 4%
Common student medical assistant-externship skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • EKG, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Data Entry, 3%
  • Surgery, 3%

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