Interested in a Healthcare Calling? Two Very Different Healthcare Lines of Work
Thursday, July 28th, 2011While they may sound alike, physician assistant jobs and medical assistant jobs arent at all similar in reality. Here, we take a deeper glance at each profession,including differences between schooling, nature of the work, and wages.
Do not get them confused. While they sound alike, physician assistant jobs and medical assistant jobs are quite distinguishable. Each position has different educational demands, involves a different daily regime, and nets a different wage. But they are not completely different: both physician assistant and medical assistant jobs involve interacting with patients on a regular basis–meaning both jobs necessitate ethical codes, great communication skills and compassion.
Education is the main focal point of disparity between physician assistants and medical assistants, in terms of program prerequisites, duration of program and coursework. While medical assistant school admissions requirements do not include already having a degree of any sort, a four-year Bachelors is one of the requirements for admittance to physician assistant school. Once enrolled, the length of a medical assistant program is 1 to 2 years, resulting in a certificate or an Associates degree; physician assistant programs, on the other hand, always last at least two years and award a Masters degree. Lastly, the bulk of training for medical assistants consists of lab techniques, clinical procedures and first aid while physician assistant training is more focused on rigorous science coursework such as biochemistry and pharmacology. Additionally, physician assistant scholars are typically required to serve in a specific area of medicine for a brief period of time called a rotation.
Patient care is involved in both physician assistant jobs and medical assistant jobs, but that is about the only thing that is similar about them. While medical assistants spend their days performing routine administrative and clinical 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.
Another difference between physician assistants and medical assistants is their wage. After going to a medical assistant school , you can expect to earn a salary of nearly $28,300 p.a., based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median 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 geo location, specialisation, and professional experience.