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Medical examiner vs medical assistant externship

The differences between medical examiners and 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 examiner and a medical assistant externship. Additionally, a medical examiner has an average salary of $156,092, which is higher than the $35,460 average annual salary of a medical assistant externship.

The top three skills for a medical examiner include EKG, medical history and vital signs. The most important skills for a medical assistant externship are patients, vital signs, and EKG.

Medical examiner vs medical assistant externship overview

Medical ExaminerMedical Assistant Externship
Yearly salary$156,092$35,460
Hourly rate$75.04$17.05
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs47,428172,671
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Diploma, 31%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a medical examiner do?

A medical examiner works with deceased bodies to determine the cause and time of death. They analyze available information, testify in court, act as an expert witness in various criminal and civil cases, and provide forensic evidence. They are generally only expected to investigate deaths that occur under suspicious circumstances, as not all deaths will require an autopsy.

What does a medical assistant externship do?

Medical assistant externs are medical school students who took the opportunity to get on-the-job training at a medical facility, usually a hospital. They spend a set amount of time in the facility. Medical assistant externs do job shadowing. They join their mentors, who are usually doctors or other health professionals, in their daily activities. Unlike usual on-the-job trainees, medical assistant externs do not really work on administrative activities. Instead, they are given the opportunity to truly be exposed to the actual work in a medical facility. They experience talking to patients and their families, performing basic medical tasks under the supervision of a doctor, and interpreting laboratory results with their mentors.

Medical examiner vs medical assistant externship salary

Medical examiners and medical assistant externships have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical ExaminerMedical Assistant Externship
Average salary$156,092$35,460
Salary rangeBetween $78,000 And $308,000Between $23,000 And $54,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateMassachusetts-
Best paying companyBexar County-
Best paying industry--

Differences between medical examiner and medical assistant externship education

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

Medical ExaminerMedical Assistant Externship
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Diploma, 31%
Most common majorNursingMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Medical examiner vs medical assistant externship demographics

Here are the differences between medical examiners' and medical assistant externships' demographics:

Medical ExaminerMedical Assistant Externship
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 33.0% Female, 67.0%Male, 15.3% Female, 84.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.9% Asian, 9.3% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical examiner and medical assistant externship duties and responsibilities

Medical examiner example responsibilities.

  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Perform medical exams such as EKG's, blood work, vitals and review medical history and paperwork with patients.
  • Assist in DNA case file management.
  • Train in phlebotomy and OSHA/HIPPA regulatory compliance procedures.
  • Perform independent thesis research to compare paraffin embed healthy and malignant tissue using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA testing.
  • Audit income and financial resources of elderly adults and disable applicants to determine financial eligibility for various levels of Medicaid coverage.
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Medical assistant externship example responsibilities.

  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Perform various clinical duties, such as vital signs, EKG's, urinalysis, PFT's, and rooming/interviewing patients.
  • Interview patients during check-in/check-out procedures to obtain their medical information following HIPAA standards.
  • Perform EKG, pregnancy test, vision & hearing examinations, as well as analyzed and document controls for urinalysis.
  • Back office duties including taking patients vitals, CLIA waive testing, and assisting the doctor and nurse practitioner as needed.
  • Assist podiatrists with patients suffering from complications relate to diabetes or obesity.
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Medical examiner vs medical assistant externship skills

Common medical examiner skills
  • EKG, 16%
  • Medical History, 10%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Blood Pressure, 7%
  • Medical Exams, 7%
  • Death Certificates, 6%
Common medical assistant externship skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Vital Signs, 13%
  • EKG, 8%
  • Office Procedures, 7%
  • Exam Rooms, 6%
  • Laboratory Specimens, 3%

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