Even though they have similar descriptions, physician assistant jobs and medical assistant jobs are not that alike in practice. In the following section, we explore each career,including differences between training, nature of the work, and wages.
Just don’t mix them up. Even though they appear an awful lot alike, physician assistants and medical assistants are very disparate in practice. They each demand different training, takes on distinct job roles and result in different wages. These two healthcare jobs aren’t that different, though: both physician assistant and medical assistant jobs require maintaining contact with patients on a periodic basis–which means both require a strong set of ethics, and solid communication skills and compassion.
Education is the main focal point of disparity between physician assistants and medical assistants, as far as program prerequisites, duration of program and coursework. There are no academic degree prerequisites for admittance to medical assistant school, but in order to be admitted to an accredited physician assistant programme, a Bachelors degree is mandatory. Once enrolled, medical assistant programs could take as long as one to 2 years and result in a certificate or an Associates degree; physician assistant schools, on the other hand, have 2 year programs that grant Masters degrees. Finally, the bulk of training for medical assistants consists of lab techniques, clinical procedures and first aid while training at physician assistant school includes coursework in biochemistry, pharmacology and other stringent science courses. Additionally, physician assistant training involves hands-on training in various specialties for short periods of time.
Patient care is involved in both physician assistant jobs and medical assistant jobs, but aside from that, there is not much else that is similar in these roles. Medical assistants, for example, perform routine clinical and administrative tasks such as arranging for patient laboratory services or preparing patients for examinations, physician assistants are busy practicing medicine under the supervision of a doctor. This might even include diagnosing patients and prescribing certain medications.
Yet another difference between physician assistants and medical assistants is their wage. After attending medical assistant school , you can expect to earn a salary of about $28,300 annually, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average salary for a physician assistant, on the other hand, is $81,230 per year. This figure varies though as a function of elements such as geographic location, specialization, and professional experience.