Healthcare support roles are vital in the medical field, providing essential services for patient well-being and efficient care. Those exploring these roles often question the differences between a medical assistant and a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Both offer quick entry into healthcare with less time and financial investment than other medical careers. Medical assistants handle both administrative and clinical tasks, while practical nurses focus on bedside care and patient monitoring. Each path offers strong career advancement opportunities, including additional certifications or advanced degrees in healthcare.
What Are Medical Assistants?
Medical assistants perform a mix of administrative and clinical duties to keep healthcare offices running smoothly. Medical Assistant programs typically take less than two years to complete and can be conducted in-person or online. These classes prepare students to provide patient care, expand their medical terminology, schedule patient appointments, draw blood, and more. Online medical assistant classes offer students more flexibility but can lack opportunities for hands-on learning and practice.
In our Medical Clinical Assistant program, students can practice new skills in our simulated labs. Each lab contains supplies and equipment similar to what graduates may encounter in the workplace. Program graduates wanting to further their education can earn an associate’s degree in four to six months with our online Medical Assisting degree completion program.
What Are LPNs?
LPNs provide around-the-clock care for ill, injured, or disabled patients throughout their recovery in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. They are responsible for helping patients complete daily tasks such as eating, bathing, and dressing. They review a patient’s care plan, make sure medication is administered at the appropriate time, and update the healthcare team on any changes in the patient’s condition.
Practical Nursing programs typically take a little over a year to complete and train graduates to care for the specific needs of diverse patient groups. In our Practical Nursing program, we help prepare students to treat pediatric patients, maternal patients, geriatric patients, and patients living with a mental illness. Students can familiarize themselves with common conditions and health problems unique to each group.
LPN classes provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice calculating dosages, inserting IVs, taking vital signs, and more. For a more detailed response to what an LPN does, check out our previous blog post What Are Practical Nurses.
What Are the Differences Between Medical Assistants and LPNs?
There are many similarities between medical assistants and LPNs, but there are also key differences that set these two healthcare roles apart. Both positions involve direct patient care and assisting in the daily operations of a healthcare facility, but the level of responsibility and scope of practice differ.
Time Spent with Patients
While medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative duties, LPNs focus almost entirely on patient care.
As such, LPNs can spend days and even months caring for the same set of patients. Depending on where they work, they may help patients recover from serious illnesses or injuries and regularly see their condition improve. LPNs can serve as a primary point of contact for patients and their families as well as a first line of defense if a patient’s condition takes a turn for the worse. This gives LPNs more time to build rapport and stronger bonds with their patients.
Unlike LPNs who are more patient-facing, medical assistants switch between clinical and administrative responsibilities.
Medical assistants commonly work in places including outpatient clinics, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. They usher patients into the appropriate room, clean rooms between visits, schedule upcoming visits for patients who call in, take inventory of items within the office, and more. They can prepare patients for their visits by updating their personal chart with current vital signs and patient concerns.
Licensure and Certification Requirements
Certification requirements for medical assistants depends on the state, but typically isn’t mandatory. Even if medical assistants work in a state that doesn’t require certification, they can always earn it to improve their career opportunities.
In order to practice as an LPN, aspiring nurses must first pass the NCLEX-PN to earn licensure. They can also pursue more specialized certifications in areas such as CPR, basic life support, and IV therapy.
Salary and Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual projected salary for medical assistants is around $42,000, as of May 2023. The job outlook is highly positive, with employment projected to grow 15% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. Should this projection hold, about 119,800 openings will be available each year for the next decade. This surge in demand is likely due to current medical assistants retiring due to age, which can increase the need for healthcare professionals in outpatient settings, clinics, and doctors’ offices.
LPNs also enjoy a competitive salary and strong job outlook. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for LPNs was $59,730 as of May 2023. Employment of LPNs is expected to grow 3% from 2023 to 2033. Should the projection hold, about 54,000 openings will be available each year for the next decade.
How To Choose Between Becoming a Medical Assistant or a Practical Nurse
Choosing between a career as a medical assistant or a practical nurse largely depends on your interests and career ambitions. Below are some questions that may help you decide which program best aligns with your goals.
How hands-on do you want to be with your patients?
If you prefer a role that combines administrative tasks with patient care, then a career as a medical assistant might be the right fit for you. Medical assistants are responsible for a variety of duties, including scheduling appointments, updating patient records, billing, and performing clinical tasks like taking vital signs and preparing patients for examinations. Their diverse role means they can switch between front-office administrative work and back-office clinical responsibilities, offering a dynamic and varied workday.
On the other hand, if your passion lies primarily in direct patient care, becoming an LPN may be the better path. LPNs concentrate almost entirely on clinical responsibilities, such as monitoring patient health, administering medications, and assisting with daily activities like eating and bathing. This role is ideal for individuals who want to form meaningful connections with patients and play a key role in their recovery and wellbeing.
What are your long-term career goals?
Both medical assistants and LPNs have strong job prospects, but it’s essential to consider your long-term ambitions before deciding which path to pursue. If you have aspirations of advancing to roles with greater responsibility and higher earning potential, becoming a medical assistant could serve as a stepping stone toward a career in healthcare administration, management, or even transitioning to become a registered nurse (RN). Medical assistants gain valuable experience in both clinical and administrative tasks, which can provide a solid foundation for various advanced roles within the healthcare sector.
Conversely, if your goal is to climb the nursing ladder, starting as an LPN might be a more suitable choice. LPNs can pursue additional education and certifications to become RNs, nurse practitioners, or even specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or critical care. The direct patient care experience and the skills acquired as an LPN can be invaluable for those aiming to specialize or take on more advanced nursing roles in the future.
Regardless of the path you choose, both medical assisting and practical nursing offer unique opportunities for career growth and fulfillment in the healthcare industry.
Next Steps
Both medical assisting and practical nursing can offer fantastic career paths for those interested in quickly breaking into the healthcare industry. Medical assistants perform a mix of patient care and office duties, which could make this career path a perfect option for those who thrive on variety and multitasking in their daily work. On the other hand, practical nurses focus on delivering direct patient care and building a rapport with patients and their families. Their constant bedside care and interactions with patients over a long period can make this career path an ideal choice for individuals passionate about forming strong patient relationships and playing a vital role in patient recovery.
If you’re considering a healthcare career and are eager to gain hands-on experience and practical skills, visit a Miller-Motte campus near you, call us at 800-705-9182, or submit this form for more information.
Disclaimer: Information within this blog is for general information purposes only. MMC does not assume or guarantee certification/licensures, specific job/career positions, income earning potential or salary expectations based on the programs offered at MMC. Career and program information statements in this blog do not guarantee that programs or other information mentioned are offered at MMC.
Information within this blog is for general information purposes only. Miller-Motte does not assume or guarantee certification/licensures, specific job/career positions, income earning potential or salary expectations based on the programs offered at Miller-Motte. Career and program information statements in this blog do not guarantee that programs or other information mentioned are offered at Miller-Motte.
