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Cancer registrar vs certified medical technician

The differences between cancer registrars and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a cancer registrar and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a cancer registrar has an average salary of $49,393, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a cancer registrar include patients, CTR and medical terminology. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Cancer registrar vs certified medical technician overview

Cancer RegistrarCertified Medical Technician
Yearly salary$49,393$38,859
Hourly rate$23.75$18.68
Growth rate11%5%
Number of jobs11,722164,424
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age4544
Years of experience1212

What does a cancer registrar do?

Cancer registrars collect and report data related to cancer. They gather information like the history, treatment used, diagnosis, and current status of cancer patients. The data collected will be used by cancer treatment facilities, healthcare workers, researchers, and several others to improve the knowledge that every health care department have and to increase the chances of survival of cancer patients. Some of the basic skills that a cancer registrar should have are analytical skills, detail orientation, and critical thinking skills to make sure that all data gathered are documented and stored in a safe place.

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.

Cancer registrar vs certified medical technician salary

Cancer registrars and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Cancer RegistrarCertified Medical Technician
Average salary$49,393$38,859
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $72,000Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City-Denton, TX
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between cancer registrar and certified medical technician education

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

Cancer RegistrarCertified Medical Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common majorHealth Care AdministrationNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Connecticut

Cancer registrar vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between cancer registrars' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

Cancer RegistrarCertified Medical Technician
Average age4544
Gender ratioMale, 7.8% Female, 92.2%Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%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 Percentage9%8%

Differences between cancer registrar and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Cancer registrar example responsibilities.

  • Process release of information requests according to HIPAA regulations and manage valuables safe for entire facility.
  • Assign TNM and AJCC staging codes to newly diagnose cancer patents.
  • Provide coordination of cancer committee require by ACOS to meet accreditation standards.
  • Work for DHMC for this time period helping DHMC get up to date w cancer abstracts and the NH state cancer registry
  • Obtain patient insurance information and forward to business department for approval of out-patient surgery.
  • Train new employees and registrars.
  • Show more

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.
  • Show more

Cancer registrar vs certified medical technician skills

Common cancer registrar skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • CTR, 11%
  • Medical Terminology, 10%
  • Abstracts, 8%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • COC, 5%
Common certified medical technician skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Vital Signs, 12%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Administer Medications, 7%
  • Resident Care, 6%
  • HIPAA, 6%

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