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The differences between monitor technicians and medical assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a monitor technician, becoming a medical assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a monitor technician has an average salary of $35,460, which is higher than the $34,900 average annual salary of a medical assistant.
The top three skills for a monitor technician include patients, EKG and BLS. The most important skills for a medical assistant are patients, vital signs, and patient care.
| Monitor Technician | Medical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $35,460 | $34,900 |
| Hourly rate | $17.05 | $16.78 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 56,963 | 189,915 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 24% |
| Average age | 45 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A monitor technician works in hospitals and other health care centers that provide treatment relating to heart health. They are also known as cardiac monitor technicians, who assist physicians and nurses with diagnosing and interpreting conditions related to the heart through several methods of monitoring and testing. Most of their work includes using machines and other medical technology in tracking patients' heart performance and check for any possible abnormalities. They monitor irregular heartbeats, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. They also use this technology to perform various tests on the heart but typically do not provide treatment.
Medical assistants provide support to medical practitioners in both administrative and clerical tasks. They keep and update the patient's medical records, administer medicines under the supervision of a physician, assist during medical examinations, prepare medical samples for laboratory testing, manage the schedule of appointments, and assist the patients with their bills and in filling out needed forms, such as insurance-related documents. Medical assistants should have good communication skills and analytical skills, be organized, and be flexible. They should also have knowledge of how to operate some medical equipment such as x-ray machines.
Monitor technicians and medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Monitor Technician | Medical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $35,460 | $34,900 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $43,000 | Between $27,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Medford, OR | Vancouver, WA |
| Highest paying state | Utah | Alaska |
| Best paying company | MLK Community Healthcare | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a monitor technician and a medical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Monitor Technician | Medical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 24% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between monitor technicians' and medical assistants' demographics:
| Monitor Technician | Medical Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.7% Female, 65.3% | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |