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The differences between medical assisting externs and registered medical 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 assisting extern and a registered medical assistant. Additionally, a registered medical assistant has an average salary of $36,580, which is higher than the $35,737 average annual salary of a medical assisting extern.
The top three skills for a medical assisting extern include patients, vital signs and EKG. The most important skills for a registered medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and office procedures.
| Medical Assisting Extern | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $35,737 | $36,580 |
| Hourly rate | $17.18 | $17.59 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 81,077 | 183,988 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
The primary job of registered medical assistants is to perform clinical and administrative tasks in a healthcare setting. They offer support services to physicians, so the latter have plenty of time to care for patients. They carry out varied administrative, clerical, and clinical tasks that include taking vital signs, filing records, and scheduling patient appointments. Other responsibilities include discussing treatment procedures to patients, interacting with patients, and collecting laboratory specimens such as tissue and blood. Ideal characteristics to become a registered medical assistant include being compassionate, can work well with people, and adaptable.
Medical assisting externs and registered medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assisting Extern | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $35,737 | $36,580 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Griffin Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical assisting extern and a registered medical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assisting Extern | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical assisting externs' and registered medical assistants' demographics:
| Medical Assisting Extern | Registered Medical Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% | Male, 8.2% Female, 91.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |