Student medical assistant vs medical research assistant

The differences between student 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 student medical assistant and a medical research assistant. Additionally, a medical research assistant has an average salary of $40,303, which is higher than the $37,781 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 research assistant are patients, patient care, and DR.

Student medical assistant vs medical research assistant overview

	Student Medical Assistant	Medical Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$37,781	$40,303
Hourly rate	$18.16	$19.38
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	181,396	125,533
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	12	12

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 research assistant do?

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.

Student medical assistant vs medical research assistant salary

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

	Student Medical Assistant	Medical Research Assistant
Average salary	$37,781	$40,303
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $53,000	Between $25,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	-	Worcester, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Norton Rose Fulbright
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between student medical assistant and medical research assistant education

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

	Student Medical Assistant	Medical Research Assistant
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Medical Assisting Services	Medical Assisting Services
Most common college	-	-

Student medical assistant vs medical research assistant demographics

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

	Student Medical Assistant	Medical Research Assistant
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black 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, 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%

Differences between student medical assistant and medical research assistant 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.

Medical research assistant example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management for the purposes of meaningful use.
Conduct intake and triage of medical histories for new and returning patients.
Record patient's medical history, vital statistics and information into charts and EMR.
Perform appointment scheduling and registration for patients as well as updating patient demographic and insurance information.
Perform tests (EKG's), as per protocol.
Sustain compliance with OSHA and HIPPA standards.

Student medical assistant vs medical research assistant skills

Common student medical assistant skills

Patients, 22%
Vital Signs, 11%
Laboratory Specimens, 6%
EKG, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 5%
Patient History, 4%

Common medical research assistant skills

Patients, 20%
Patient Care, 10%
DR, 9%
Vital Signs, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Phlebotomy, 5%

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Healthcare Support Industry
Student Medical Assistant
Student Medical Assistant vs Medical Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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