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The differences between medical assistants and medical assisting externs 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 assisting extern. Additionally, a medical assisting extern has an average salary of $35,737, 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 assisting extern are patients, vital signs, and EKG.
| Medical Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $34,900 | $35,737 |
| Hourly rate | $16.78 | $17.18 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 189,915 | 81,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A medical assisting extern is responsible for supporting the medical team in ensuring that the patients are offered the best care services by providing treatments and medications. Medical assisting externs' duties include practicing their medical skills by shadowing on medical professionals' activities, assisting patients with their inquiries and concerns, facilitating medical procedures with the doctor's supervision, and learning to operate medical tools and equipment as needed. A medical assisting extern must have excellent knowledge in the health industry, as well as a fast-learner to be familiarized with the complexities of medical processes and procedures.
Medical assistants and medical assisting externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Average salary | $34,900 | $35,737 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a medical assisting extern in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical assistants' and medical assisting externs' demographics:
| Medical Assistant | Medical Assisting Extern | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 10.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.1% Asian, 9.6% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |