Biological scientist vs certified medical technician

The differences between biological scientists and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a biological scientist has an average salary of $67,631, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a biological scientist include data analysis, cell culture and RNA. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Biological scientist vs certified medical technician overview

	Biological Scientist	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$67,631	$38,859
Hourly rate	$32.51	$18.68
Growth rate	17%	5%
Number of jobs	51,327	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	40	44
Years of experience	-	12

What does a biological scientist do?

A biological scientist's duties will vary depending on one's industry of employment. Typically, they are responsible for studying and conducting research and analysis on living organisms, collaborating with fellow scientists, traveling to different areas, and keeping an accurate record of all observations, results, and processes. They must also prepare reports and presentations, reviewing them to ensure accuracy in every detail. Furthermore, a biological scientist may work in a laboratory setting or conduct lectures at an academic institution.

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

Biological scientist vs certified medical technician salary

Biological scientists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Biological Scientist	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$67,631	$38,859
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $107,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Alaska
Best paying company	Schrödinger	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Health Care

Differences between biological scientist and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a biological scientist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Biological Scientist	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Connecticut

Biological scientist vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between biological scientists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Biological Scientist	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	40	44
Gender ratio	Male, 46.1% Female, 53.9%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.3% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	10%	8%

Differences between biological scientist and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Biological scientist example responsibilities.

Lead protein biochemistry efforts for nuclear receptor group and develop bioassays and initiate new approaches.
Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
Perform high molecular weight DNA extraction from bacterial cells using microbiology and molecular biology methods.
Provide technical/analytical inputs for the responses to FDA comments.
Give final presentation via PowerPoint to peers and advisors.
Characterize CMC drug substances for potency using in vitro effector function assay.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Biological scientist vs certified medical technician skills

Common biological scientist skills

Data Analysis, 9%
Cell Culture, 7%
RNA, 5%
Cell-Based Assays, 5%
Technical Reports, 5%
Western Blotting, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Biological Scientist vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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