Occupational Therapy Assistants vs Medical Assistants AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Occupational Therapy Assistants

61 shared · 16 different

core competencies

medium risk

Medical Assistants

Side-by-Side Comparison

Occupational Therapy Assistants leads 5–0

Metric	Occupational Therapy Assistants	Medical Assistants
Risk Score	26.7%	33.3%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	24th	58th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	3 / 15	7 / 15
Median Salary	$68,340	$44,200
Employment	48K	793K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Therapy and Counseling

Psychology

Education and Training

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Interacting With Computers

Performing Administrative Activities

Performing General Physical Activities

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Clerical

Computers and Electronics

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Occupational Therapy Assistants

34%

total discount

Medical Assistants

33%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Occupational Therapy Assistants

3 of 15 at risk

86%Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.

84%Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.

74%Attend continuing education classes.

47%Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.

45%Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.

Medical Assistants

7 of 15 at risk

87%Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.

86%Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.

77%Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.

68%Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.

66%Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.

Wage Comparison

Medical Assistants earns -$24,140(-35%) vs Occupational Therapy Assistants

Occupational Therapy AssistantsMedical Assistants

10th

$49,070$35,020

25th

$59,950$37,610

Median

$68,340$44,200

75th

$77,340$48,160

90th

$86,930$57,830

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Occupational Therapy Assistants2028–2035

Medical Assistants2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Occupational Therapy Assistants has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Medical Assistants.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Occupational Therapy Assistants

$50,093

from $68,340

Medical Assistants

$29,490

from $44,200

After adjusting for AI risk, Occupational Therapy Assistants offers $20,603 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Occupational

Unique to Medical

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity

Fine Manipulation

Social Intelligence

Regulatory Barriers

Occupational Therapy AssistantsMedical Assistants

Find transitions from Occupational Therapy Assistants Find transitions from Medical Assistants