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The differences between senior medical assistants and medical research 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 senior medical assistant and a medical research assistant. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, which is higher than the $37,113 average annual salary of a senior medical assistant.
The top three skills for a senior medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a medical research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.
| Senior Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,113 | $40,303 |
| Hourly rate | $17.84 | $19.38 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 171,533 | 125,533 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 26% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A senior medical assistant performs support tasks for physicians, nurses, and managers in a medical facility to ensure that patients get to receive optimal care and services. In general, they are responsible for handling calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, verifying patient information, liaising with external parties such as insurance providers, monitoring the inventory of medical supplies, and performing regular maintenance checks. Moreover, they must assist patients by answering inquiries, helping them in filling out forms, and making them feel comfortable throughout the procedures.
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.
Senior medical assistants and medical research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,113 | $40,303 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $64,000 | Between $25,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Worcester, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Norton Rose Fulbright |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a senior medical assistant and a medical research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 26% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior medical assistants' and medical research assistants' demographics:
| Senior Medical Assistant | Medical Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.5% Female, 69.5% | Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 6% | 6% |