For many, healthcare is more than a career; it’s a vocation. Tons of healthcare workers will tell you that they felt called to help people in need—people who are sick, injured, disabled, or in need of clinical care. However, despite this passion, not everyone has the years or the expenses to dedicate to medical school. But in modern medicine, that’s okay! There are fast-track options that can position you for a rewarding, impactful career in patient care, without a high investment. Two of those career options? The medical assistant and patient care assistant/technician (PCT) roles.

Medical assistants and patient care assistants are both healthcare workers who spend their days helping people. These professionals support medical teams to provide top-quality care, as well as support patients by providing comfort and carrying out fundamental clinical tasks. However, the various job duties of these professionals can vary significantly.

Wondering which career is right for you? Read on to learn the differences between a medical assistant and a patient care technician/assistant. We’ll compare their job responsibilities, educational requirements, and potential career outcomes.

What is a patient care assistant/technician?

A patient care assistant, commonly referred to as a patient care technician (PCT), is a type of healthcare professional who provides basic medical care and support to patients in need. Much like their name implies, these professionals assist doctors and nurses with fundamental care duties like measuring vital signs, administering medications, and providing comfort to patients in the healthcare environment.

What is a medical assistant?

A medical assistant is a healthcare professional who supports physicians and nurses through a number of administrative and clinical tasks. Their wide range of job duties makes medical assistants very versatile and important in medical practices. Between scheduling appointments, updating patient records, preparing exam rooms, and taking vital signs, medical assistants keep healthcare environments running efficiently.

Medical assistant vs. patient care assistant: Job duties

While medical assistants and patient care technicians share some responsibilities, their jobs are also very distinct. Broadly speaking, medical assistants handle both administrative and clinical tasks in practices. Meanwhile, patient care assistants and technicians are solely focused on providing direct medical care.

Here’s a look at the primary job duties of each profession.

Medical Assistant Job Duties:

• Answering phone calls and basic patient questions
• Assisting physicians during patient exams
• Handling patient invoicing and basic billing tasks
• Interviewing patients before their medical exam
• Issuing medications (as permitted by state law)
• Maintaining and updating patient medical records
• Measuring and recording patient vital signs
• Occasionally drawing blood or collecting lab samples
• Preparing patients for their exams (and preparing exam rooms)
• Recording patients’ symptoms and progress
• Scheduling appointments and managing flow of patients
• Sterilize medical equipment
• Stock and maintain inventory of medical or office supplies

Patient Care Assistants/Technician Job Duties:

• Administering medications under direction of doctors and nurses
• Assisting patients with functional activities, like eating and getting dressed
• Collecting blood and other lab specimens
• Conducting and analyzing EKGs
• Dressing and cleaning wounds
• Monitoring and recording patients’ vital signs
• Performing basic medical procedures
• Providing comfort and support to patients during their medical visits
• Responding to emergencies as needed (e.g. CPR, resuscitation)
• Transporting patients within the medical facility

Medical assistant vs. patient care assistant: Career paths

Both medical assistants and patient care technicians enjoy rewarding careers where no two days are alike. Both types of healthcare professionals can be found in bustling healthcare environments, providing patient care, supporting a broader medical team, and ensuring operations run smoothly. However, because of the varying nature of their roles, patient care assistants and medical assistants are often needed in different areas of healthcare. And, as such, they can expect different wages, job outlooks, and career outcomes.

Here’s a look at some of the differences between medical assistants and patient care technicians, as they apply to their future careers.

Work Environments

Most medical assistants work in the offices of physicians or private practices. Occasionally, though, you can find medical assistants working in hospitals and outpatient care centers.

Patient care assistants/technicians, on the other hand, are most often found in hospitals and ambulatory care services. They may also be found in rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, hospice, and home healthcare environments.

Career Outcomes

While the titles are pretty straightforward, there’s also some variance in what you can do as a patient care technician or medical assistant.

Medical assistants can become administrative medical assistants, clinical medical assistants, or a combination of the two (e.g. a general, certified medical assistant). Medical assistants also have the option to become medical office managers, home health aides, and health information technicians using their existing training. They may also gain additional training and certifications to explore careers in phlebotomy, EKG tech, dialysis, or other specialized clinical roles.

Medical assistants generally have a wide variety of job titles to explore, due to their combination of administrative and clinical training. Meanwhile, patient care assistants and technicians can expect to take on more direct patient care roles.

Patient care assistants can also be called patient care technicians (PCTs) or patient care associates (PCAs). In addition to these titles, these professionals may also find work as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), which is a great stepping stone into a nursing career. Depending on the training program, if specialized phlebotomy and EKG training are offered, patient care technicians may also explore careers as EKG technicians and phlebotomy technicians, where they utilize specialized equipment to carry out medical tests.

Job Outlook & Salary Potential

Like the broader healthcare field, both medical assistants and patient care assistants can expect to find a variety of job opportunities upon completion of their training. These fields are growing fast; skilled professionals are in high demand and well-compensated for their work.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistant job openings are expected to grow 15 percent between 2023 and 20233—more than three times as fast as the overall job average. Medical assistants can also expect to be paid around $43,350 annually, based on the latest average salary data.

Meanwhile, patient care technicians can expect employment growth to be more conservative, with an expected increase of 4% to 5% over the decade. However, this still equates to tens of thousands of job openings in careers like Certified Nursing Assisting, clinical laboratory technology, and more. Patient care assistants, classified as health technicians by the BLS, can also expect a comfortable salary. On average in the U.S., these professionals earn around $50,000 per year, though salaries can range between $38,000 and $53,000.

Medical assistant vs. patient care assistant: Education requirements

With both career paths on the table, which offers the most straightforward route? Let’s explore the requirements for each profession to see if a medical assistant program or patient care assistant program is right for you.

Today, medical assistants are expected to have postsecondary training and education prior to launching a career. Typically, this means completing a certificate program from a college or university. Associate degree programs are also available for medical assistants seeking advanced responsibilities.

Learn more about how to become a medical assistant here.

The requirements for patient care assistants and technicians look similar to those of medical assistants. Candidates with postsecondary training and education will usually be preferred by employers and qualify more easily for professional certification. Patient care assistant programs often offer dedicated training in nursing assisting, phlebotomy, and electrocardiography, which are valuable and versatile skills for an array of healthcare careers.

Learn more about the PCA/PCT requirements here.

While it’s possible to become a medical assistant or patient care assistant with a high school diploma and on-the-job training, employers usually prefer candidates with postsecondary education. This saves them time during the onboarding and training process, and ensures professionals come with the skills needed to make an impact right away.

The good news? Both career paths do not require a large investment of time or money. Aspiring medical assistants and patient care assistants can complete their training, earn certification, and begin working in less than one year total. If you’re looking to make an impact in healthcare fast, you can’t go wrong with either career choice.

Ultimately, your career choice is a deeply personal decision. No matter which you choose, Goodwin can help you get there. Learn about our career-focused PCA and Medical Assisting programs online today:

• Medical Assisting programs (certificate and associate degree)
• Patient Care Associate program (certificate)