The biggest differences between medical assistants and EMTs are work environments, educational requirements, and pay.
Medical assistants typically work in comfortable, climate controlled physicians' offices. The schedule is usually 8 to 5, Monday through Friday. Although emergencies DO happen in a physician's office, the doctor is usually right there to stabilize the patient.
EMTs, on the other hand, usually don't know what their day is going to look like. One day, they may be responding to the victims of an automobile accident, while the next, they may be performing CPR on a heart attack victim. Many EMTs work one 24 hour shift, followed by a couple of days off. Physicians are rarely present when Emergency Medical Technicians respond to a victim in need of medical care.
Medical assistant programs can last anywhere from 9 months to 2 years. The average MA program in California takes 11 months to complete. The amount of hours needed to complete medical assistant training ranges anywhere from 500 to 1200 hours. This includes several hundred hours of classroom work, as well as at least 200 hours of externship. Externships give aspiring medical assistants hands-on experience in physicians' offices, urgent care, or specialty medicine.
The average length of an EMT program is several months. The total amount of clock hours for EMT students in California, for example, is 110 hours. There is also much more focus on hands-on training, as opposed to classroom work. The hands-on training varies. Some EMT programs will have their students work on ambulances alongside experienced paramedics. Other programs will have EMT students complete their externships in hospitals or outpatient surgical centers.
Since the Covid pandemic began in 2020, pay for healthcare professionals has risen significantly. The average salary for medical assistants in 2022 is now $47,850. That comes out to a little over $23 per hour. The salary of a CMA can vary wildly depending on location. Medical assistants in California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut can be $50,000 or more annually. On the flip side, MAs in Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana can be less than $40,000 annually. Urban metropolitan areas with large healthcare systems typically pay more. Medical assistants with specialty certifications(pediatric, oncology, podiatry) usually pay more than medical assistant positions in primary care offices.
EMTs working for a private ambulance company, on the other hand, usually earn significantly less. Starting pay can be as low as $12 per hour in many states. EMTs who go to work for fire departments usually make more than medical assistants. EMTs may also choose to continue their education by becoming paramedics. Paramedics have more responsibilites than EMTs, and their pay reflects that. Many paramedics routinely earn $60,000 or more annually.
With the requirements between medical assistants and EMTs being so stark, it's important to keep in mind some of the main differences:
Medical assistants have a stable path to follow, with many choosing to continue their education by entering a nursing program. EMTs who are interested in advancing their careers typically look to join a local fire department or certified paramedic program.