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The differences between medical specialists and clinical 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 specialist and a clinical assistant. Additionally, a medical specialist has an average salary of $40,277, which is higher than the $30,215 average annual salary of a clinical assistant.
The top three skills for a medical specialist include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a clinical assistant are patients, customer service, and PET.
| Medical Specialist | Clinical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $40,277 | $30,215 |
| Hourly rate | $19.36 | $14.53 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 68,607 | 101,926 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Medical specialists are responsible for diagnosing patients and performing medical procedures according to their areas of expertise. They coordinate with the clinical team on administering medications, conducting laboratory examinations, and monitoring admitted patients, ensuring that they receive high-quality care services from the medical staff. A medical specialist also communicates with the patients' families to respond to their medical inquiries and concerns, as well as providing them with updates on the patients' progress. A medical specialist observes the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities at all times, including the inspection of medical tools and equipment for operations.
A clinical assistant is responsible for assisting medical professionals with medical procedures and ensure a high level of patient care. Clinical assistants perform minor clinic procedures such as taking patients' temperature, sterilizing medical equipment, proper dumping of disposable items, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, processing payments, arranging appointment schedules, and maintaining an organized record of patients' information, such as their medical history and health insurance records. A clinical assistant must strictly adhere to sanitary and hygienic procedures at all times to promote a safe and clean environment for the patients.
Medical specialists and clinical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Specialist | Clinical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $40,277 | $30,215 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $75,000 | Between $13,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Brockton, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Adobe | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | - | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a medical specialist and a clinical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Specialist | Clinical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical specialists' and clinical assistants' demographics:
| Medical Specialist | Clinical Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 9.0% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |