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The differences between medical assistants and medical research 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 and a medical research assistant. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, 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 research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.
| Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,900 | $40,303 |
| Hourly rate | $16.78 | $19.38 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 189,915 | 125,533 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| 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 research assistant is primarily in charge of performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar environment. Their responsibilities include gathering and organizing samples, preparing the laboratories and other facilities, compiling and managing data, updating databases, and conducting examinations and analysis, all while adhering to the laboratory's policies and regulations. They may also liaise with clients, answering inquiries as necessary. Furthermore, it is vital to maintain an active line with researchers, coordinating with them every step of the way to ensure an efficient workflow.
Medical assistants and medical research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,900 | $40,303 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $25,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Norton Rose Fulbright |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a medical research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical assistants' and medical research assistants' demographics:
| Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |