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Medical assistant instructor vs unit assistant

The differences between medical assistant instructors and unit 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 unit assistant. Additionally, a medical assistant instructor has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $33,802 average annual salary of a unit assistant.

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

Medical assistant instructor vs unit assistant overview

Medical Assistant InstructorUnit Assistant
Yearly salary$40,698$33,802
Hourly rate$19.57$16.25
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs180,025174,425
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
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 unit assistant do?

A unit assistant is responsible for performing administrative duties within a department of a health care institution, ensuring that the patients receive the highest quality care services for their concerns and needs. Unit assistants assist the patients and the visitors, confirm their appointments, and direct them to the correct personnel or medical department. They also manage the adequacy of medical supplies and report defective equipment and machine to the maintenance for immediate repairs or replacements. A unit assistant must be highly organizational, especially on storing medical records and updating patients' information on the database.

Medical assistant instructor vs unit assistant salary

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

Medical Assistant InstructorUnit Assistant
Average salary$40,698$33,802
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $60,000Between $25,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityFramingham, MAWestfield, MA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsMassachusetts
Best paying companyErlanger Health SystemUC Santa Barbara
Best paying industryEducationNon Profits

Differences between medical assistant instructor and unit assistant education

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

Medical Assistant InstructorUnit Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesNursing
Most common college--

Medical assistant instructor vs unit assistant demographics

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

Medical Assistant InstructorUnit Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 18.6% Female, 81.4%Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%
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, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 9.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical assistant instructor and unit 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

Unit assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
  • Carry out necessary duties for post surgery patients which result in quicker test results and recovery time for patients.
  • Follow HIPAA laws and assist patients.
  • Qualify in 12 lead EKG's, and applying 6 lead telemetry monitors.
  • Report any personal or medical complaints and concerns of the patients to the supervising nursing and rehabilitation staff members.
  • Assist patients in activities of daily living, assist in rehabilitation of patients, doctors & nurses in ER department.
  • Show more

Medical assistant instructor vs unit assistant skills

Common medical assistant instructor skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • EKG, 6%
Common unit assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Medical Terminology, 5%
  • ADL, 4%

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