Associate medical director vs unit director

The differences between associate medical directors and unit directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an associate medical director and a unit director. Additionally, an associate medical director has an average salary of $212,257, which is higher than the $74,346 average annual salary of a unit director.

The top three skills for an associate medical director include patients, PET and appeals. The most important skills for a unit director are patients, patient care, and customer service.

Associate medical director vs unit director overview

	Associate Medical Director	Unit Director
Yearly salary	$212,257	$74,346
Hourly rate	$102.05	$35.74
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	73,831	41,585
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does an associate medical director do?

It is the job of an associate medical director to support and enforce medical policies for the organization. Associate medical directors make sure to deliver patient care in high quality. They conduct research and evaluate medical innovations and treatments. It is their responsibility to prepare and oversee company finances, deposit checks, and paid office bills. They order supplies, manage payroll, and update organizational policies and standard operating procedures. Also, they are referred to as clinical leaders assisting medical staff in EMR system management and updates.

What does a unit director do?

A unit director is a management professional who is responsible for directing and managing a group of medical professionals in an organization. This director must manage the daily clinical and administrative duties for those professionals involved in the mental health hospitalization programs. The director must assist in recruiting healthcare professionals to maximize the branch and margin profits of the medical establishment. This director should also attend meetings with the OCFS program to discuss the performance and outcome measures of the program.

Associate medical director vs unit director salary

Associate medical directors and unit directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Associate Medical Director	Unit Director
Average salary	$212,257	$74,346
Salary range	Between $123,000 And $365,000	Between $42,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	Portland, OR	Fairfield, CT
Highest paying state	Alaska	Connecticut
Best paying company	UnitedHealth Group	Palo Alto Networks
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Manufacturing

Differences between associate medical director and unit director education

There are a few differences between an associate medical director and a unit director in terms of educational background:

	Associate Medical Director	Unit Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Associate medical director vs unit director demographics

Here are the differences between associate medical directors' and unit directors' demographics:

	Associate Medical Director	Unit Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between associate medical director and unit director duties and responsibilities

Associate medical director example responsibilities.

Lead successful JCAHO accreditation efforts, including audit preparation and follow up.
Establish office protocols and aggressively manage patient A/R to maximize reimbursements.
Manage payroll, order supplies, review and update standard operating procedures and organizational polices.
Perform first aid and CPR as needed.
Perform oncology and internal medicine peer reviews, train and oversee physician quality.
Perform ICD-9 coding and submit insurance claims with attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.

Unit director example responsibilities.

Prepare and manage payroll and purchasing, which include balancing of accounts within budgetary limits; establish daily interaction with clients.
Manage operational organizing of stock and equipment, order supplies and oversee building maintenance, cleanliness and security.
Provide case management services to residents in the Alzheimer's unit.
Migrate all operations to a new ERP and retail system with a successful implementation.
Develop and implement a program which assure quality of life for mid- stage Alzheimer's residents.
Oversee labor, as well as, payroll, purchases, complete work orders, and operating supplies.

Associate medical director vs unit director skills

Common associate medical director skills

Patients, 19%
PET, 12%
Appeals, 11%
Customer Service, 5%
Medical Oncology, 5%
Medical Care, 5%

Common unit director skills

Patients, 23%
Patient Care, 21%
Customer Service, 14%
Cleanliness, 7%
Staff Development, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%

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Associate Medical Director
Associate Medical Director vs Unit Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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