The medical profession has many different jobs for those interested in entering the field. Some career titles are very confusing to some people. Medical Assistants and Certified Nursing Assistants are two of those careers. Many people think that these two medical professionals are
the same, but they are not. CNAs and Medical Assistants are actually quite different. Medical assistants are professional who work in medical centers, offices of doctors, and clinics to help these establishments run smoothly. Their jobs depend on the specific needs of their employers. They may perform administrative, clerical, or clinical tasks, or all three. Clinical duties that Medical Assistants perform may include the following:
Clerical duties that Medical Assistants perform may include the following:
Administrative duties that Medical Assistants perform may include the following:
Job Description of a CNACNAs are medical professionals who attend to the needs of patients who are terminally ill, recovering, and aging. They carry out many of the tasks needed for the daily operations of medical facilities. CNAs perform the following tasks:
Employment Setting for a Medical Assistant & CNAThere are currently over 500,000 Medical Assistants working in the United States today. Currently 11% work in other health practitioners’ offices, such as chiropractors and dentists; 62% work in physicians’ offices, and 13% work in private and public hospitals. The remaining Medical Assistants work in nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, residential care facilities, and colleges, professional schools, and universities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a 34% increase in Medical Assistant positions is expected through the year 2018. Certified Nursing Assistants hold over 1.5 million jobs in the United States today. Approximately 29% of CNAs work in hospitals and 41% work in nursing care facilities. The remaining Certified Nursing Assistants work in government agencies, family services, residential care facilities, individual services, outpatient care centers, general medical hospitals, employment services, surgical hospitals, and home health care services. The differences between CNAs and Medical Assistants are as follows:
Certified Nursing Assistants and Medical Assistants are much more different than many people think they are. Both provide specialized skills to the medical field, but their jobs are vastly different for the most part. The decision to become a CNA or a Medical Assistant depends greatly on what each individual wants for their future. |