The Difference Between Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting

Blake Austin College offers both Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting programs. You might be wondering what the difference in the two are, or you may be wondering which one is the right program for you. Here is a brief overview of the two programs and some qualities that people in these fields have.

Clinical Medical Assisting

Clinical assistants often work on the patient side of things. During the program through Blake Austin, you can learn general body systems like the lymphatic, skeletal, and muscular. Our clinical program also offers students the chance to learn phlebotomy on top of the regular assistant program. These jobs often include working with cardiologists doing stress testing and other procedures. Clinical medical assistants work doing tasks similar to that of a nurse.

People who enjoy this type of work usually have these qualities:
– They love helping people.
– They enjoy working independently.
– They like to work in close proximity to people.
– They are task oriented.
– They are good at communicating.
– They are proficient in working with computers and medical terminology.
– They have fun learning at while work.
– They are good problem solvers.

You could work in several types of medical settings with an education in clinical medical assisting. Such as:
– Hospitals.
– Doctor’s offices.
– Medical offices.
– Labs.
– Clinics.
Clinical medical assistants are not limited to these areas either! There are many other professional settings in which they can work. The average salary for medical assistants in the state of California is $41,000, according to indeed.com. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you will or won’t make that salary. It all depends on where you work, how hard you work, and a variety of other factors.

The job outlook for medical assistants is fantastic. The employment of those in the field is projected to grow 23% from 2014-24, as per the BLS. This is much faster than the average of other careers.

Do you like the sound of potentially working in a hospital? Do you have a few of the characteristics on the list above? Check out our Clinical Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy program!

Administrative Medical Assisting

Our administrative assisting program is focused on preparing students to work as a receptionist or assistant for a doctor’s office, clinic, or another professional setting. Medical filing, reporting, record management, protocol, and front office support are some of the skills future admin assistants can learn. People in this career often work more in the office rather than with a patient. However, they do handle patient records.

People who work in this career often have these characteristics:
– They have excellent people skills.
– They feel comfortable working behind a desk and at a computer.
– They are very organized.
– They are detail oriented.
– They like creating and maintaining a schedule.
– They enjoy being on the phone and working directly with patients.
– They can get comfortable working with legal documents.

Administrative medical assistants can work in a variety of office settings such as:
– Physician’s offices.
– Medical centers.
– Nursing homes.
– Medical billing offices.
– Hospitals.
With an education in admin medical assisting, you can potentially work in many places; you don’t have to be limited to these! On average, administrative assistants in the medical field make about $37,000 a year according to indeed.com. However, that doesn’t mean that they always make that amount. Admin assistants can earn more or less depending on position, place of work, and a multitude of other factors.

According to the BLS, there were over 3 million jobs available in admin medical assisting in 2014.

Do you want to work in medical office as a receptionist or assistant? Check out our program.