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Medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship

The differences between medical assistants and student medical assistant-externships 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 student medical assistant-externship. Additionally, a student medical assistant-externship has an average salary of $35,588, 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 student medical assistant-externship are patients, vital signs, and EKG.

Medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship overview

Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Yearly salary$34,900$35,588
Hourly rate$16.78$17.11
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs189,915178,362
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
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 student medical assistant-externship do?

Student Medical Assistant Externship is a broad term for catering students for short, reliable, and practical work experience. Once you graduate, you can get a chance to meet contacts that may be useful for your career. You can have a better chance to work in a clinic, hospital, and any medical platform after going through this kind of externship.

Medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship salary

Medical assistants and student medical assistant-externships have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average salary$34,900$35,588
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $43,000Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WA-
Highest paying stateAlaska-
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New York-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between medical assistant and student medical assistant-externship education

There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a student medical assistant-externship in terms of educational background:

Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship demographics

Here are the differences between medical assistants' and student medical assistant-externships' demographics:

Medical AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 10.4% Female, 89.6%Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2%
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, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.4% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical assistant and student medical assistant-externship 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

Student medical assistant-externship example responsibilities.

  • Perform EKG's, ear cleanings, injections, nail cultures and assist with women's yearly physicals.
  • Gain experience in performing routine patient care interventions while developing strong organizational skills while caring for patients.
  • Shadowed/Assist official personnel on performance of special procedures, patient evaluation, transporting patients, therapeutic exercises and body mechanics/functional mobility.
  • Observe various departments and operations within the hospital and clinical setting environment including surgery, radiology, urology, and emergency.
  • Review and administration of medications, allergies and other pharmacology relate items.
  • Perform CLIA wave laboratory testing.
  • Show more

Medical assistant vs student medical assistant-externship skills

Common medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Vital Signs, 10%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Phlebotomy, 4%
  • CPR, 4%
  • EKG, 4%
Common student medical assistant-externship skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • EKG, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Data Entry, 3%
  • Surgery, 3%

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