Post job

Medical assistant vs physician assistant

The differences between medical assistants and physician assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physician assistant has an average salary of $118,812, 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 physician assistant are patients, diagnostic tests, and surgery.

Medical assistant vs physician assistant overview

Medical AssistantPhysician Assistant
Yearly salary$34,900$118,812
Hourly rate$16.78$57.12
Growth rate16%28%
Number of jobs189,91539,752
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age3739
Years of experience12-

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 physician assistant do?

The physician assistant, also known as "PA," is now considered a key player to any healthcare team. Physician assistants are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of licensed physicians. They work on several areas of medicine, from primary care to emergency service and even psychiatry. Neither they are a doctor nor a physician, but their job profile showcases many of these responsibilities. More than as assistants to the doctors, they are also equipped to examine, diagnose, and develop treatment strategies for patients.

Medical assistant vs physician assistant salary

Medical assistants and physician assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical AssistantPhysician Assistant
Average salary$34,900$118,812
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $43,000Between $70,000 And $201,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WABoston, MA
Highest paying stateAlaskaVermont
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New YorkMarshall University
Best paying industryHealth CareEducation

Differences between medical assistant and physician assistant education

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

Medical AssistantPhysician Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesPhysician Assistant
Most common college-Duke University

Medical assistant vs physician assistant demographics

Here are the differences between medical assistants' and physician assistants' demographics:

Medical AssistantPhysician Assistant
Average age3739
Gender ratioMale, 10.4% Female, 89.6%Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4%
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, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%12%

Differences between medical assistant and physician assistant 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

Physician assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage a variety of acute and chronic conditions especially asthma, allergies, injuries, and infectious diseases.
  • Manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, ASCVD, chronic back and joint pains, depression, and anxiety.
  • Manage patient surgical care throughout the continuum of care from pre-op, to discharge planning, including ambulatory and hospital in-patients.
  • Attain pertinent history & physicals for obstetrics and gynecological acute and preventative visits.
  • Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
  • Aid in the acute management of trauma patients including obtaining appropriate studies, suturing, and CPR.
  • Show more

Medical assistant vs physician assistant skills

Common medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Vital Signs, 10%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Phlebotomy, 4%
  • CPR, 4%
  • EKG, 4%
Common physician assistant skills
  • Patients, 29%
  • Diagnostic Tests, 6%
  • Surgery, 5%
  • Primary Care, 5%
  • Urgent Care, 4%
  • CPR, 3%

Browse healthcare support jobs