Podiatrist assistant vs optometric assistant

The differences between podiatrist assistants and optometric 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 podiatrist assistant and an optometric assistant. Additionally, an optometric assistant has an average salary of $98,734, which is higher than the $41,973 average annual salary of a podiatrist assistant.

The top three skills for a podiatrist assistant include patients, appointment scheduling and exam rooms. The most important skills for an optometric assistant are patients, appointment scheduling, and customer service.

Podiatrist assistant vs optometric assistant overview

	Podiatrist Assistant	Optometric Assistant
Yearly salary	$41,973	$98,734
Hourly rate	$20.18	$47.47
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	47,756	142,550
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 26%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

Podiatrist assistant vs optometric assistant salary

Podiatrist assistants and optometric assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Podiatrist Assistant	Optometric Assistant
Average salary	$41,973	$98,734
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $62,000	Between $66,000 And $147,000
Highest paying City	-	Baltimore, MD
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	QPS
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between podiatrist assistant and optometric assistant education

There are a few differences between a podiatrist assistant and an optometric assistant in terms of educational background:

	Podiatrist Assistant	Optometric Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 26%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Medical Assisting Services	Business
Most common college	-	-

Podiatrist assistant vs optometric assistant demographics

Here are the differences between podiatrist assistants' and optometric assistants' demographics:

	Podiatrist Assistant	Optometric Assistant
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8%	Male, 9.6% Female, 90.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 9.0% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.0% Asian, 9.8% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between podiatrist assistant and optometric assistant duties and responsibilities

Podiatrist assistant example responsibilities.

Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
Experience with EMR software, scheduling appointments.
Certify to perform x-rays of the foot and ankle.
Keep track of orthotics orders, castings, and diabetic shoes fittings.
Explain how to properly use and care for new prosthetics and orthotics.
Verify patients insurance using the computer system require.

Optometric assistant example responsibilities.

Manage telecommunications, provide patient telephone triage and documentation thereof.
Utilize organization skills in managing business operation keeping Dr. Rivera on schedule.
Maintain medical records in accordance with HIPAA.
Administer vaccines, EKG and Spirometry testing.
Test patients for glaucoma and cataracts on NCT machine.
Assist physicians with injections, EKG testing, treadmill tests.

Podiatrist assistant vs optometric assistant skills

Common podiatrist assistant skills

Patients, 35%
Appointment Scheduling, 15%
Exam Rooms, 6%
Vital Signs, 5%
Patient Care, 5%
Ultrasound, 3%

Common optometric assistant skills

Patients, 36%
Appointment Scheduling, 5%
Customer Service, 4%
Patient Care, 4%
Visual Acuity, 3%
Blood Pressure, 3%

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Healthcare Support Industry
Podiatrist Assistant
Podiatrist Assistant vs Optometric Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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