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Student medical assistant vs medical doctor

The differences between student medical assistants and medical doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a student medical assistant, becoming a medical doctor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a medical doctor has an average salary of $181,967, which is higher than the $37,781 average annual salary of a student medical assistant.

The top three skills for a student medical assistant include patients, vital signs and laboratory specimens. The most important skills for a medical doctor are patients, patient care, and internal medicine.

Student medical assistant vs medical doctor overview

Student Medical AssistantMedical Doctor
Yearly salary$37,781$181,967
Hourly rate$18.16$87.48
Growth rate16%7%
Number of jobs181,39660,642
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Average age3748
Years of experience124

What does a student medical assistant do?

It is evident that the student medical assistant does work for the administration and clinical expertise. One must know that they are known as medical analysts and devote themselves to addressing the problem of patients and medical assistants.

What does a medical doctor do?

A Medical Doctor, also known as a physician, is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats patients from injuries and illnesses. As a Medical Doctor, your day-to-day duties will typically include assessing a patient's symptoms, prescribing and administering treatment to patients, and providing follow-up medical care to patients. You will be responsible for interpreting patients' laboratory results and referring them to other providers when needed. Also, you will need to work closely with other healthcare professionals and promote health education.

Student medical assistant vs medical doctor salary

Student medical assistants and medical doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Student Medical AssistantMedical Doctor
Average salary$37,781$181,967
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $53,000Between $95,000 And $347,000
Highest paying City-Brownsville, TX
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-Pacific Medical Centers
Best paying industry-Transportation

Differences between student medical assistant and medical doctor education

There are a few differences between a student medical assistant and a medical doctor in terms of educational background:

Student Medical AssistantMedical Doctor
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Doctoral Degree, 56%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedicine
Most common college-Duke University

Student medical assistant vs medical doctor demographics

Here are the differences between student medical assistants' and medical doctors' demographics:

Student Medical AssistantMedical Doctor
Average age3748
Gender ratioMale, 21.1% Female, 78.9%Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.4% Asian, 9.2% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 19.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%13%

Differences between student medical assistant and medical doctor duties and responsibilities

Student medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Provide supportive counseling and utilize motivation interviewing to improve patients' ability to manage their medical diagnoses
  • Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, performing procedures and managing emergencies.
  • Assist patients with consent forms, HIPAA questions and insurance verification to ensure accurate and timely care.
  • Used word processor and gain experience in EHR software.
  • Prepare examination rooms, take patient vitals, and update EHR.
  • Perform routine tests such as hearing tests, EKG's, vision tests, and specimen collection.
  • Show more

Medical doctor example responsibilities.

  • Partner with team to achieve overall well-being patients and contribute to successful department research accreditation.
  • Perform selection and interpretation of labs including EKG readings, diagnostic imaging, blood work, and urinalyses.
  • Batch to clearing house, upload files from insurance, data entry answer phones, collect payments over phone, EMR.
  • Examine patients, order laboratory test and other diagnostic procedures and follow up with acute and chronic diseases
  • Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
  • Perform and interpret ECG test.
  • Show more

Student medical assistant vs medical doctor skills

Common student medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • Laboratory Specimens, 6%
  • EKG, 5%
  • Surgical Procedures, 5%
  • Patient History, 4%
Common medical doctor skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Internal Medicine, 7%
  • Primary Care, 7%
  • Diagnosis, 4%
  • Medical History, 4%

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