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Student medical assistant vs unit assistant

The differences between student medical assistants and unit 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 unit assistant. Additionally, a student medical assistant has an average salary of $37,781, which is higher than the $33,802 average annual salary of a unit assistant.

The top three skills for a student medical assistant include patients, vital signs and laboratory specimens. The most important skills for a unit assistant are patients, customer service, and HIPAA.

Student medical assistant vs unit assistant overview

Student Medical AssistantUnit Assistant
Yearly salary$37,781$33,802
Hourly rate$18.16$16.25
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs181,396174,425
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

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 unit assistant do?

A unit assistant is responsible for performing administrative duties within a department of a health care institution, ensuring that the patients receive the highest quality care services for their concerns and needs. Unit assistants assist the patients and the visitors, confirm their appointments, and direct them to the correct personnel or medical department. They also manage the adequacy of medical supplies and report defective equipment and machine to the maintenance for immediate repairs or replacements. A unit assistant must be highly organizational, especially on storing medical records and updating patients' information on the database.

Student medical assistant vs unit assistant salary

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

Student Medical AssistantUnit Assistant
Average salary$37,781$33,802
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $53,000Between $25,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City-Westfield, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-UC Santa Barbara
Best paying industry-Non Profits

Differences between student medical assistant and unit assistant education

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

Student Medical AssistantUnit Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesNursing
Most common college--

Student medical assistant vs unit assistant demographics

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

Student Medical AssistantUnit Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 21.1% Female, 78.9%Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%
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, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 9.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between student medical assistant and unit 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.
  • Show more

Unit assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
  • Carry out necessary duties for post surgery patients which result in quicker test results and recovery time for patients.
  • Follow HIPAA laws and assist patients.
  • Qualify in 12 lead EKG's, and applying 6 lead telemetry monitors.
  • Report any personal or medical complaints and concerns of the patients to the supervising nursing and rehabilitation staff members.
  • Assist patients in activities of daily living, assist in rehabilitation of patients, doctors & nurses in ER department.
  • Show more

Student medical assistant vs unit assistant skills

Common student medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • Laboratory Specimens, 6%
  • EKG, 5%
  • Surgical Procedures, 5%
  • Patient History, 4%
Common unit assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Medical Terminology, 5%
  • ADL, 4%

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