If you’re entering the healthcare industry, you may notice there are different jobs with similar-sounding titles. For example, “medical assistant” and “physician assistant” sound like they would be very similar positions, but the truth is they are very different in scope of work, duties, and amount of education required.
Medical assistants (MA) do mid-level tasks. You can usually become a medical assistant in a year or less of education. Physician assistants (PA) perform advanced tasks and work alongside a practicing physician. It can take seven to nine years to become a physician assistant. To become a physician assistant, you must have a bachelor's degree, and then subsequently complete a physician assistant training program.
There are several other differences between medical assistants and physician assistants, which we will document below.
Definition of Each Role: Medical Assistants & Physician Assistants
Medical assistants are healthcare professionals who do clinical and administrative tasks under the direct supervision of a physician. MA’s complete administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, updating patient records, and ordering medical supplies. They also do clinical tasks like taking vital signs, preparing examination rooms, administering medicine, collecting samples for labs, and relaying doctor’s instructions. Medical assistants do tasks that allow doctors and nurses to spend more time delivering patient care.
Physician assistants are licensed medical providers who work under the supervision and in collaboration with physicians. Unlike medical assistants, who are restricted from certain tasks, a physician assistant can diagnose illnesses, develop and manage treatment plans, assist with surgeries, and interpret diagnostic tests. In certain states, a physician assistant may be able to prescribe medication. Physician assistants must have a bachelor's degree and go to school to be a PA. They may also be the principal health care provider in rural areas or inner-city clinics.
Scope of Practice
Though both medical assistants and physician assistants help provide care for patients, there are some key differences.
Medical Assistant Job Responsibilities
A medical assistant has clinical and administrative duties which include:
- Scheduling patient appointments
- Measuring vital signs of patients
- Preparing examination rooms
- Updating and recording patient medical records
- Collecting samples for laboratory testing
- Inputting patient insurance information
- Assisting physicians with patient examinations
- Helping with billing and insurance claims
- Welcoming patients and answering the phone
- Converting physical patient records to electronic health records (EHR)
- Remove sutures care for wounds, and change dressings
- Give vaccine injections under physician supervision
- Relaying certain types of information to patients on behalf of physicians
Medical assistants are not authorized to practice medicine or give medical advice, and must work under the supervision of a practicing physician.
Physician Assistant Job Responsibilities
A physician assistant has the following responsibilities and duties:
- Performing normal exams and procedures
- Treating minor illnesses and injuries
- Order diagnostic tests, administering test, evaluating results – including EKGs, X-rays, diagnostic labs
- Performing minor surgeries
- Treating minor illness and injury
- Performing minor surgeries
- Review, record, analyze, and evaluate patient medical records during exams
- Administering medications to patients
- Perform clinical tasks during surgical procedures
- Develop patient treatment plans based on medical examinations
- Diagnose patient injuries
- Prescribing and administering medications
- Handling medical emergencies
- Counsel patients based on self-treatment processes
Physician assistants are mostly focused on clinical tasks and practice medicine alongside other licensed healthcare professionals like surgeons and doctors. Even though physician assistants have a medical license, a physician with an MD or DO degree must supervise their work.
Education Required for Each
Medical assistants are eligible to start their career if they complete an accredited training program and pass the licensing exam. Most certificate programs to become a medical assistant are one year or less. Certification is not required in some states, but employers may still look for certified candidates so they can take on more advanced tasks.
Physician assistants must earn a bachelor’s degree and then take an additional training program to be able to take the national qualifying exam. After passing this, they are eligible to take the state licensing exam. The process of becoming a physician assistant takes about seven to nine years to complete, if you have no prior college education.
Salary and Job Growth
Jobs for both physician assistants and medical assistants are projected to grow over the next decade.
Medical assistants earned an average mean salary of $42,000 per year as of May 2023, and a mean average wage of $20.19 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. [1] Jobs for medical assistants are projected to grow 15% between 2023 and 2033, which is much faster than the average of all jobs.
Physician assistants in May 2023 earned an annual mean salary of $130,020 per year and a mean average wage of $62.51 per hour, according to the BLS. Jobs for physician assistants are projected to grow by 28% between 2023 and 2033, which is much faster than the average of all jobs.
Comparison Table
| Medical Assistant | Physician Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Responsibilities and Job Duties | Administrative and clinical duties to help support physician, taking vital signs, updating patient records, setting appointments, preparing exam rooms, vaccine injections under doctor's supervision. | Practices medicine under a physician's supervision, often principal health care provider in rural or inner-city clinics. Routine exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostics, diagnosing and treating illness and injury, creating treatment plan for patient. |
| Education | Accredited training program, one year or less | Bachelor’s degree and PA program, about seven years |
| Licensing & Certification | Certificate, must pass licensing exam. Some states do not require certification, but employers may require it for certain tasks due to state regulations. | Must be licensed by state board as physician assistant. Must pass national certifying exam, must complete accredited program to take exam. |
| Avg Salary | $42,000 per year, $20.19 per hour (May 2023) | $130,020 per year, $62.51 per hour (May 2023) |
| Workplaces | Physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care facilities, other health practitioners | Physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers, education and government |
| Autonomy | Cannot practice medicine, must work under physician supervision | Can practice medicine, works under supervision and in collaboration with physician |
Become a Medical Assistant in as Little as 36 Weeks
If you’ve thought about starting a career in healthcare, Campus Sacramento, formerly MTI College, has a medical assistant training program at our Sacramento location. In about 36 weeks, you can learn the skills you need to become a certified medical assistant. If you also want to get your phlebotomy certification, we offer a Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy program that is 48 weeks in length.
If you would like more information, contact our friendly Admissions department or call 888-675-2460.
[1] The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with Campus, formerly known as MTI College, are for informational purposes only and represent the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to Campus graduates and, by providing the above information, Campus makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability.