Medical transcriptionist vs medical research assistant

The differences between medical transcriptionists and medical research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, which is higher than the $38,725 average annual salary of a medical transcriptionist.

The top three skills for a medical transcriptionist include transcription, dictation and discharge summaries. The most important skills for a medical research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.

Medical transcriptionist vs medical research assistant overview

	Medical Transcriptionist	Medical Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$38,725	$40,303
Hourly rate	$18.62	$19.38
Growth rate	-7%	16%
Number of jobs	78,292	125,533
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	41	37
Years of experience	-	12

What does a medical transcriptionist do?

A Medical Transcriptionist is responsible for accurately transcribing audio records from Physicians and other health workers as part of a patient's medical history or other necessary documentation. Most of the time, a Medical Transcriptionist must sign non-disclosure agreements as the majority of the information relayed are personal and confidential. Furthermore, they must be meticulous in detecting inconsistencies and errors, translating or converting the information gathered into various medical documents, performing edits and revision, and following up any missing detail.

What does a medical research assistant do?

A medical research assistant is primarily in charge of performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar environment. Their responsibilities include gathering and organizing samples, preparing the laboratories and other facilities, compiling and managing data, updating databases, and conducting examinations and analysis, all while adhering to the laboratory's policies and regulations. They may also liaise with clients, answering inquiries as necessary. Furthermore, it is vital to maintain an active line with researchers, coordinating with them every step of the way to ensure an efficient workflow.

Medical transcriptionist vs medical research assistant salary

Medical transcriptionists and medical research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Transcriptionist	Medical Research Assistant
Average salary	$38,725	$40,303
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $47,000	Between $25,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	Worcester, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	White Plains Hospital	Norton Rose Fulbright
Best paying industry	Health Care	Education

Differences between medical transcriptionist and medical research assistant education

There are a few differences between a medical transcriptionist and a medical research assistant in terms of educational background:

	Medical Transcriptionist	Medical Research Assistant
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Medical Assisting Services
Most common college	-	-

Medical transcriptionist vs medical research assistant demographics

Here are the differences between medical transcriptionists' and medical research assistants' demographics:

	Medical Transcriptionist	Medical Research Assistant
Average age	41	37
Gender ratio	Male, 6.3% Female, 93.7%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between medical transcriptionist and medical research assistant duties and responsibilities

Medical transcriptionist example responsibilities.

Manage audits using transcribe reports with preoperative and postoperative documentation within the EMR.
Experience in radiology, cardiology, orthopedics, physical therapy, pediatrics, surgery and family practice medical terminology.
Transcribe dictation from various specialty providers at the hospital including orthopedics, urology, podiatry, ophthalmology, and pain management.
Transcribe radiology reports, including MRIs, CTs, nuclear medicine and vascular reports in a high-production, acute care setting.
Maintain medical record integrity by interpreting, editing and transcribing dictation for multiple physicians and nurse practitioners.
Prepare medical documentation from dictation - specializing in the areas of general surgery, orthopedics, plastic/oral surgery

Medical research assistant example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management for the purposes of meaningful use.
Conduct intake and triage of medical histories for new and returning patients.
Record patient's medical history, vital statistics and information into charts and EMR.
Perform appointment scheduling and registration for patients as well as updating patient demographic and insurance information.
Perform tests (EKG's), as per protocol.
Sustain compliance with OSHA and HIPPA standards.

Medical transcriptionist vs medical research assistant skills

Common medical transcriptionist skills

Transcription, 16%
Dictation, 10%
Discharge Summaries, 8%
Patient Histories, 5%
Medical Reports, 5%
Patient Care, 3%

Common medical research assistant skills

Patients, 20%
Patient Care, 10%
DR, 9%
Vital Signs, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Phlebotomy, 5%

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Medical Transcriptionist
Medical Transcriptionist vs Medical Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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