Chemical dependency technician vs certified medical technician

The differences between chemical dependency technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a chemical dependency technician, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $35,341 average annual salary of a chemical dependency technician.

The top three skills for a chemical dependency technician include chemical dependency, patients and vital signs. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Chemical dependency technician vs certified medical technician overview

	Chemical Dependency Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$35,341	$38,859
Hourly rate	$16.99	$18.68
Growth rate	4%	5%
Number of jobs	20,927	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	12

Chemical dependency technician vs certified medical technician salary

Chemical dependency technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chemical Dependency Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$35,341	$38,859
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $42,000	Between $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 chemical dependency technician and certified medical technician education

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

	Chemical Dependency Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Washington	University of Connecticut

Chemical dependency technician vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between chemical dependency technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Chemical Dependency Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 5.5% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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	9%	8%

Differences between chemical dependency technician and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Chemical dependency technician example responsibilities.

Drive to pick up new clients, drive clients to outside AA or NA meetings.
Transport to outside AA meetings.
Diagnose and recommend treatment for clients base on ASAM and DSM criteria.
Understand and comply with the practice regulations as outlined by OASAS and JCAHO.
Plan or implement follow-up or aftercare programs for clients to be discharge from detox.
Perform monitoring of detox clients and their medications, as well as their vitals.

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.

Chemical dependency technician vs certified medical technician skills

Common chemical dependency technician skills

Chemical Dependency, 12%
Patients, 12%
Vital Signs, 11%
Patient Care, 9%
Substance Abuse, 7%
Crisis Intervention, 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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Chemical Dependency Technician
Chemical Dependency Technician vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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