What is the Difference Between an MA and a CNA?
Updated July 2023 by: Bridget Ramsey
When it comes to healthcare careers, it can be confusing to know the difference between jobs! This can be especially true with entry level jobs, because they go by many different names. To make it even more complicated, in the case of medical assistants and certified nursing assistants, you may hear people refer to one or both of them by just an acronym instead of their full names! (That would be MA for medical assistant, CNA for certified nursing assistant.) How do you know for sure which is the right choice for you?
Consider this your cheat-sheet on all things medical assistant vs. CNA! While they both work in healthcare and provide patients with care, the jobs themselves have very different functions.
Medical Assistant or CNA- How Are Their Duties Different?
A medical assistant plays a unique role in a healthcare team! They are qualified to do both clinical and administrative tasks. Medical assistants are trained to take patient vitals, collect and examine labs, assist the doctor in minor procedures, and more. However, they are also able to perform front office tasks like checking patients in and scheduling appointments.
Medical assistants are sometimes referred to as “generalists,” because they have such a wide range of job duties. Their job is to keep things running smoothly, both for patients and providers.
CNAs take a more hands-on patient care role. They work with a few patients at a time and do not do administrative tasks beyond taking note of a patient's needs. A CNA will help those in their care be more comfortable during their hospital stay and may do things like help them walk or eat.
What about things they both may do? Both medical assistants and certified nursing assistants need to be comfortable taking patient vital signs, taking detailed notes about patient care, and need to be able to be on their feet for extended periods of time.
Medical Assistant or CNA - Where Do They Work?
A medical assistant works under the supervision of a doctor and most likely will work in an office, clinic, or other outpatient setting. They will see many patients over the course of the day and need to be ready to move quickly from one to the next. Because they work for doctors and are less likely to be in hospital settings, they are less likely to have overnight or weekend shifts.
A certified nursing assistant works with, you guessed it, nurses! They are more often in hospitals and long term care facilities. CNAs typically work at in-patient settings, which means care around the clock. A CNA is the first person on hand to assist a patient, even on evenings and weekends.
Medical Assistant or CNA - What Training and Skills Are Needed?
As a medical assistant, you may be asked to do things like:
- Learn patient history record keeping
- Correctly schedule appointments
- Take vital measurements
- Give injections
The path to becoming a medical assistant can appear confusing. The good news? It doesn’t have to be! A medical assistant training course can be completed in as little as 7-12 months and will cover the wide variety of skills you will need to know. You are not required to get certified as a medical assistant, but most employers will look for a certification before hiring. There are a few options of exams you can take to showcase that knowledge, so it is best to take the one most healthcare offices look for in your area.
As a CNA, your training will look very different as you will be prepared to:
- Assist patients with day-to-day living activities
- Help patients move in their bed or room
- Learn to listen carefully to patient needs or requests
- Take vital measurements
A certified nursing assistant position requires certification. There are programs that help you gain the knowledge you need to pass the state-mandated exam. In some cases you may want to consider taking an intro to CNA program to see if the career is a good fit for you before committing to a full CNA program. In addition to a study course, you will need to complete hands-on training. This required clinical training can take as little as 12 weeks to finish.
See? It is not that confusing after all! Medical assistants and CNAs both play crucial (but very different) roles in healthcare. If you would like to learn more about what the training for each program entails then check out our course outline pages for our online medical assistant school.
