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The differences between phlebotomists and clinical 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 phlebotomist, becoming a clinical medical assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a clinical medical assistant has an average salary of $37,052, which is higher than the $33,713 average annual salary of a phlebotomist.
The top three skills for a phlebotomist include patients, customer service and blood samples. The most important skills for a clinical medical assistant are patients, patient care, and vital signs.
| Phlebotomist | Clinical Medical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,713 | $37,052 |
| Hourly rate | $16.21 | $17.81 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 11,707 | 233,464 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 22% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Average age | 41 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Phlebotomists are workers in the medical field who specialize in drawing blood from patients. They ensure that patients are prepared by explaining the procedure to them, showing them tools they will use and where their blood will be stored, and answering any questions the patients may have. Phlebotomists then draw blood from the patient, patch up the area where the blood was drawn, and store the blood samples in properly labeled vials or blood bags. After the procedure, they send the blood samples to the laboratory for testing, transfusion, or any other use that there may be.
A clinical medical assistant specializes in performing administrative and clinical tasks in a hospital or similar setting. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's information, medical history, test results, and other essential documentation, and updating patient medical records. Other tasks include reaching out to patients' families and guardians, assisting health workers with room preparation and patient care, and preparing medications and other treatments, all in adherence to a physician's directives. Furthermore, a clinical medical assistant may conduct inspections to ensure that the hospital complies with government regulations.
Phlebotomists and clinical medical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Phlebotomist | Clinical Medical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,713 | $37,052 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $42,000 | Between $29,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Vancouver, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a phlebotomist and a clinical medical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Phlebotomist | Clinical Medical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 22% | Associate Degree, 27% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between phlebotomists' and clinical medical assistants' demographics:
| Phlebotomist | Clinical Medical Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.7% Female, 83.3% | Male, 10.8% Female, 89.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 9.1% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |