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Medical record assistant vs student medical assistant-externship

The differences between medical record 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 record 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 $34,870 average annual salary of a medical record assistant.

The top three skills for a medical record assistant include patients, data entry and HIPAA. The most important skills for a student medical assistant-externship are patients, vital signs, and EKG.

Medical record assistant vs student medical assistant-externship overview

Medical Record AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Yearly salary$34,870$35,588
Hourly rate$16.76$17.11
Growth rate11%16%
Number of jobs91,238178,362
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4537
Years of experience1212

What does a medical record assistant do?

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.

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 record assistant vs student medical assistant-externship salary

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

Medical Record AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average salary$34,870$35,588
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $43,000Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CityNapa, CA-
Highest paying stateAlaska-
Best paying companyNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough-
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between medical record assistant and student medical assistant-externship education

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

Medical Record AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessMedical Assisting Services
Most common collegeUniversity of Pennsylvania-

Medical record assistant vs student medical assistant-externship demographics

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

Medical Record AssistantStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average age4537
Gender ratioMale, 17.3% Female, 82.7%Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.4% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage9%6%

Differences between medical record assistant and student medical assistant-externship duties and responsibilities

Medical record assistant example responsibilities.

  • Lead special department-wide task force initiative to minimize abuse of Oxycontin prescriptions bill to Medicaid.
  • Manage and organize all paperwork concerning caregivers and patients; organize filing system; ensure operation of electronic filing systems.
  • Work with EHR, provide medical records to patients and specialty centers.
  • Guide department through transition from paper charts to EHR system scan all patient records into database.
  • Scan documents into electronic medical records system and certify HIPAA compliance
  • Implement HIPAA guidelines in keeping patient information secure and confidential.
  • 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 record assistant vs student medical assistant-externship skills

Common medical record assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
  • Medical Terminology, 3%
Common student medical assistant-externship skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • EKG, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Data Entry, 3%
  • Surgery, 3%

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