Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between medical record assistants and medical clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical record assistant, becoming a medical clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical record assistant has an average salary of $34,870, which is higher than the $32,439 average annual salary of a medical clerk.
The top three skills for a medical record assistant include patients, data entry and HIPAA. The most important skills for a medical clerk are patients, medical terminology, and data entry.
| Medical Record Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $34,870 | $32,439 |
| Hourly rate | $16.76 | $15.60 |
| Growth rate | 11% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 91,238 | 166,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 26% |
| Average age | 45 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A medical record assistant is responsible for the proper documentation of the patients' information and medical records for reference to the attending physician or other medical professionals. Medical record assistants also track the patient's medical treatments and progress, as well as their health insurance details and coverage. They also respond to the patient's inquiries and concerns, including scheduling physician's appointments and updating the patients for any released medical results. A medical record assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, categorizing documents, and retrieving files for medical needs.
A medical clerk works in the administrative area of a medical facility or hospital. The medical clerk collects all patient information and medical records. The clerk also does all the clinic or hospital paperwork and generates reports of all transactions that transpired in a day's work. The medical clerk also processes admission and discharge papers, medical charts, properly file and safeguard all patient records and secure them from unauthorized access. The medical clerk is expected to be highly organized, capable of handling pressure, and has good communication skills.
Medical record assistants and medical clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Record Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Average salary | $34,870 | $32,439 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $43,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Napa, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough | Brinks Gilson |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a medical record assistant and a medical clerk in terms of educational background:
| Medical Record Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 26% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between medical record assistants' and medical clerks' demographics:
| Medical Record Assistant | Medical Clerk | |
| Average age | 45 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% | Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |