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Medical assistant instructor vs clinical assistant

The differences between medical assistant instructors 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 medical assistant instructor and a clinical assistant. Additionally, a medical assistant instructor has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $30,215 average annual salary of a clinical assistant.

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

Medical assistant instructor vs clinical assistant overview

Medical Assistant InstructorClinical Assistant
Yearly salary$40,698$30,215
Hourly rate$19.57$14.53
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs180,025101,926
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a medical assistant instructor do?

An assistant medical instructor is responsible for supporting medical instructors in teaching medical students for programs and processes, depending on their area of expertise. Assistant medical instructors handle the preparation of learning materials and other related resources according to the class level and curriculum. They also serve as a liaison between the instructor and the students to respond with inquiries and concerns, resolve learning difficulties, and document examinations. An assistant medical instructor must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in maintaining organized student records and updating the grading system as needed.

What does a clinical assistant do?

A clinical assistant is responsible for assisting medical professionals with medical procedures and ensure a high level of patient care. Clinical assistants perform minor clinic procedures such as taking patients' temperature, sterilizing medical equipment, proper dumping of disposable items, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, processing payments, arranging appointment schedules, and maintaining an organized record of patients' information, such as their medical history and health insurance records. A clinical assistant must strictly adhere to sanitary and hygienic procedures at all times to promote a safe and clean environment for the patients.

Medical assistant instructor vs clinical assistant salary

Medical assistant instructors and clinical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical Assistant InstructorClinical Assistant
Average salary$40,698$30,215
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $60,000Between $13,000 And $66,000
Highest paying CityFramingham, MABrockton, MA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsMassachusetts
Best paying companyErlanger Health SystemColumbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industryEducationPharmaceutical

Differences between medical assistant instructor and clinical assistant education

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

Medical Assistant InstructorClinical Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesPsychology
Most common college--

Medical assistant instructor vs clinical assistant demographics

Here are the differences between medical assistant instructors' and clinical assistants' demographics:

Medical Assistant InstructorClinical Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 18.6% Female, 81.4%Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.2% Asian, 9.8% White, 50.0% 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 medical assistant instructor and clinical assistant duties and responsibilities

Medical assistant instructor example responsibilities.

  • Manage two full classes of 30+ students each and ensure all comply with OSHA and the schools' standards and guidelines.
  • Utilize nursing process and critical thinking skill and manage flight medic activities in combat deployment environment.
  • Prepare students to sit for the national CPC exam through AAPC.
  • Facilitate anatomy and physiology courses.
  • Prepare procedure papers, perform routine laboratory procedures such as urinalysis, and assist physician with procedure set ups.
  • Teach multiple classes each semester of CPT-4, ICD-10-CM/PCS, and HCPCS coding.
  • Show more

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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Medical assistant instructor vs clinical assistant skills

Common medical assistant instructor skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • EKG, 6%
Common clinical assistant skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • PET, 8%
  • Vital Signs, 6%
  • CPR, 3%
  • Phlebotomy, 3%

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