Choosing a healthcare career is an exciting step towards a promising future, and you may find yourself comparing the roles of an LPN vs Medical Assistant. Both careers let you work closely with patients and play an important role on the healthcare team. But they are different in their training, responsibilities, and career paths.

If you’ve been searching for answers to the comparison of practical nurse vs medical assistant, this guide will break down what you need to know so you can choose the career that fits your goals.

A Medical Assistant’s role

Let’s start with Medical Assistants. Medical Assistants are known for their versatility. They are trained to handle both administrative and clinical tasks, making them valuable members of medical offices, clinics, and outpatient care centers.

Administrative duties

• Scheduling patient appointments
• Managing medical records
• Handling billing and insurance claims
• Greeting and checking in patients

Clinical duties

• Taking patient vital signs
• Preparing exam rooms and patients for procedures
• Drawing blood and collecting lab samples
• Administering medications or injections (when allowed by state law)
• Assisting physicians during exams

This mix of duties makes MAs a great fit for those who like variety in their workday. They can move between office tasks and direct patient care, keeping their role interesting and dynamic.

A Licensed Practical Nurse’s role

A Licensed Practical Nurse (sometimes called a Licensed Vocational Nurse, or LVN, in certain states) focuses more on direct patient care. LPNs usually work under the supervision of registered nurses and doctors, and their responsibilities center on patient health and comfort.

Common LPN duties

• Monitoring and recording patient vital signs
• Administering medications and injections
• Providing wound care and changing dressings
• Assisting patients with daily needs, such as bathing or eating
• Reporting patient conditions to RNs and physicians
• Supporting patients and their families with education and guidance

Because LPNs spend more time directly working with patients, this role is often a good fit for individuals who enjoy working hands-on with patients in hospitals, long-term care facilities, or clinics.

Key differences at a glance

When comparing the roles of an LPN vs MA, several differences stand out, including:

• Focus
• Scope of practice
• Work environment

Let’s dive into each of these differences and give you a better picture of what each means in the roles of a medical assistant vs LPN.

Focus

• Medical Assistants balance both administrative and clinical duties.
• LPNs focus almost entirely on clinical care and patient support in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities.

Scope of practice

• Medical Assistants have a more limited scope in patient care, often handling tasks like vital signs, injections, and assisting physicians.
• LPNs provide more advanced patient care, including wound care, administering medications, and helping patients with daily needs.

Work environment

• Medical Assistants most often work in physician offices, outpatient clinics, and specialty practices.
• LPNs are commonly employed in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and home healthcare.

Comparing Practical Nurse and Medical Assistant’s requirements

Another important part of deciding between practical nurse vs medical assistant is understanding the training and education needed for each path. The education, certification, and licensing process, and career growth aspects all vary depending on which career path you choose.

Education

• Medical Assistants: Training programs are often shorter, typically taking about 9 months to 1 year to complete. These programs cover both administrative and clinical skills.
• LPNs: Training programs usually take about 12 to 18 months. They focus more on clinical skills, anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care.

Certification and licensing

• Medical Assistants: Certification is not always required but can boost job opportunities. Options include Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA).
• LPNs: Licensing is mandatory. Graduates must pass an exam to become licensed and practice as an LPN.

Career growth

• Medical Assistants: May advance into office management, specialized clinical roles, or continue their education to become nurses.
• LPNs: Often use their role as a steppingstone to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) through continuing education (and pursuing licensure as an RN).

So which career path should you choose?

Deciding between LPN vs MA depends on your career goals, interests, and the type of work environment you prefer.

You may be better suited for a Medical Assistant role if you:

• Like balancing office and patient care duties
• Prefer working in outpatient or clinic settings
• Want a shorter training period to enter the field quickly

You may be better suited for a Licensed Practical Nurse role if you:

• Enjoy hands-on patient care
• Prefer working in hospitals or long-term care facilities
• Are interested in continuing your education toward becoming an RN

Both careers are rewarding and provide opportunities to make a difference in patients’ lives. It comes down to which path matches your interests, strengths, and future goals.

If you’re excited about starting a career in healthcare, the choice between LPN vs MA is an important one. At Dorsey College, we offer training programs designed to help students prepare for careers like these. Whether you see yourself as a Medical Assistant balancing both clinical and administrative tasks or as a Licensed Practical Nurse providing direct patient care, your journey can start here.

Dorsey College has determined that its Practical Nurse program curriculum is sufficient to fulfill educational requirements for licensure in the State of Michigan only. No educational determinations have been made for any other state, district, or US territory in regards to nursing licensure requirements.