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Medical assistant vs medical assistant instructor

The differences between medical assistants and medical assistant instructors 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 and a medical assistant instructor. Additionally, a medical assistant instructor has an average salary of $40,698, which is higher than the $34,900 average annual salary of a medical assistant.

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

Medical assistant vs medical assistant instructor overview

Medical AssistantMedical Assistant Instructor
Yearly salary$34,900$40,698
Hourly rate$16.78$19.57
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs189,915180,025
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Associate Degree, 27%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a medical assistant do?

Medical assistants provide support to medical practitioners in both administrative and clerical tasks. They keep and update the patient's medical records, administer medicines under the supervision of a physician, assist during medical examinations, prepare medical samples for laboratory testing, manage the schedule of appointments, and assist the patients with their bills and in filling out needed forms, such as insurance-related documents. Medical assistants should have good communication skills and analytical skills, be organized, and be flexible. They should also have knowledge of how to operate some medical equipment such as x-ray machines.

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.

Medical assistant vs medical assistant instructor salary

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

Medical AssistantMedical Assistant Instructor
Average salary$34,900$40,698
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $43,000Between $27,000 And $60,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WAFramingham, MA
Highest paying stateAlaskaMassachusetts
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New YorkErlanger Health System
Best paying industryHealth CareEducation

Differences between medical assistant and medical assistant instructor education

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

Medical AssistantMedical Assistant Instructor
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Associate Degree, 27%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Medical assistant vs medical assistant instructor demographics

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

Medical AssistantMedical Assistant Instructor
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 10.4% Female, 89.6%Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical assistant and medical assistant instructor duties and responsibilities

Medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management for the purposes of meaningful use.
  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Participate in emergency surgical intervention in obstetrics and gynecology patients.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in taking patient history and vitals, venipuncture, injections, urinalysis and preparing examination trays.
  • Attend to new out patients in gynecology clinic, make clinical diagnosis and follow up.
  • Provide RMA support to physician, and patients, including but not limit to vitals and patient history.
  • Show more

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

Medical assistant vs medical assistant instructor skills

Common medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Vital Signs, 10%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Phlebotomy, 4%
  • CPR, 4%
  • EKG, 4%
Common medical assistant instructor skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • EKG, 6%

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