As you explore careers in healthcare, you may wonder: what’s the difference between medical assistants and certified nursing assistants (CNAs)? There are similarities between the roles, but their duties and educational requirements vary. If you’re ready to choose a healthcare training program, Prism Career Institute takes a closer look at medical assistant vs. CNA jobs to help you find the right path.
Job Duties
Medical assistants and CNAs play an important part in helping patients in need. Medical assistants complete a variety of administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and registering patients, taking vitals, collecting specimens, and phlebotomy. They should be good multi-taskers and communicators to complete the different duties they are often assigned.
CNAs work directly with patients by helping them get dressed, bathe, eat their meals, and transfer between a bed and a wheelchair. They can also take patients’ vital signs and report feedback to nurses. The duties of a CNA are very focused on caring for the daily needs of patients, and they are not responsible for the administrative duties medical assistants often complete.
Work Environments
There are various healthcare settings medical assistants and CNAs work in. Medical assistants can be employed at any type of healthcare facility, including clinics, hospitals, medical centers, and more. However, they are most likely to work in a doctor’s practice, with 56% working in physicians’ offices.
CNAs can also work in any healthcare facility but are more often found where patients receive long-term care or require assistance with activities of daily living.
Job Outlook
Both medical assistants and CNAs have positive job outlooks and growth due to the constant need for workers in the healthcare system. However, medical assistants have a more favorable outlook than CNAs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment for medical assistants to grow by 14% from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than the national average.
CNAs can also anticipate faster-than-average expected job growth of 4% from 2022 through 2032. Both careers are crucial to meeting the increasing demand for healthcare services, but medical assistants may find more opportunities as they complete training and enter the workforce.
Education Requirements
Neither medical assistants nor CNAs require a four-year degree or graduate-level education to find employment. However, it’s generally preferred by employers that medical assistant candidates complete a respected training program. At Prism Career Institute, the Medical Assistant training program can be completed in just 24 instructional weeks, allowing you to begin your new career quickly.
CNAs must become certified via a state-approved program, pass an exam, and gain experience through clinical work. This path is fairly similar to that taken by a future medical assistant. Although no extensive postsecondary education is required, medical assistants and CNAs must get training and experience in real-world settings before beginning their careers.
Learn More about Becoming a Medical Assistant
If you’re seeking a career that lets you make a difference in the lives of patients, use clinical and administrative skills, and enter the growing healthcare field quickly, training as a medical assistant may be the right opportunity for you. Take our healthcare training quiz to see if the programs at Prism Career Institute in West Atlantic City and Cherry Hill, New Jersey are right for you, and apply online today to get started.