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The differences between medical assistant/phlebotomists and optometric 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/phlebotomist and an optometric assistant. Additionally, an optometric assistant has an average salary of $98,734, which is higher than the $33,674 average annual salary of a medical assistant/phlebotomist.
The top three skills for a medical assistant/phlebotomist include patients, vital signs and customer service. The most important skills for an optometric assistant are patients, appointment scheduling, and customer service.
| Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | Optometric Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,674 | $98,734 |
| Hourly rate | $16.19 | $47.47 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 189,206 | 142,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Medical assistants/phlebotomists are medical personnel who execute administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare facilities or units. They are responsible for providing healthcare to patients such as immunization administration, orthopedic supplies, and wound care. It is part of their job to take the blood of patients for blood testing. They also take charge of handling other medical tests for the upkeep of patients' health. These professionals should exhibit compatibility, initiative, and cohesiveness within the team.
An optometric assistant performs a variety of support tasks to assist optometrists and maintain a smooth flow of operations at clinics. They typically greet clients and identify their eye and vision care needs, answer inquiries, gather patient histories and other information, prepare and assist the clients for vision tests, and administer eye drops. They may also perform clerical tasks such as processing documents, organizing files, handling calls and correspondence, liaising with external partners such as suppliers and vendors, and updating databases. Moreover, an optometric assistant may also adjust and repair glasses, all according to the clients' needs.
Medical assistant/phlebotomists and optometric assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | Optometric Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,674 | $98,734 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $41,000 | Between $66,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Conviva | QPS |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant/phlebotomist and an optometric assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | Optometric Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical assistant/phlebotomists' and optometric assistants' demographics:
| Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | Optometric Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.4% Female, 88.6% | Male, 9.6% Female, 90.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 8.6% White, 51.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.0% Asian, 9.8% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |