Direct care counselor vs certified medical technician

The differences between direct care counselors and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $33,422 average annual salary of a direct care counselor.

The top three skills for a direct care counselor include crisis intervention, autism and CPR. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Direct care counselor vs certified medical technician overview

	Direct Care Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$33,422	$38,859
Hourly rate	$16.07	$18.68
Growth rate	36%	5%
Number of jobs	123,519	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	48	44
Years of experience	-	12

What does a direct care counselor do?

A direct care counselor provides direct counseling and assistance to the elderly or individuals with disabilities and mental issues. They usually work at rehabilitation centers or care facilities and work together with nurses or caregivers to administer different treatment plans, monitor and support the patients' progress, and help the patients carry out daily activities such as performing hygienic or routine living tasks. Moreover, a direct care counselor may also develop and implement various healthcare programs and recreational activities while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.

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.

Direct care counselor vs certified medical technician salary

Direct care counselors and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Direct Care Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$33,422	$38,859
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $49,000	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 direct care counselor and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a direct care counselor and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Direct Care Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	-	University of Connecticut

Direct care counselor vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between direct care counselors' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Direct Care Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	48	44
Gender ratio	Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	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	7%	8%

Differences between direct care counselor and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Direct care counselor example responsibilities.

Obtain SCIP-R, CPR, and AMAP certifications.
Provide training to residents in improving ADL and independent living skills per the IHP and any/all relate behavior or medical requirements.
Obtain AMAP certification and administer medications under the supervision of assign nursing staff.
Provide direct care assistance for campers with autism, intellectual disabilities, and/or developmental delays.
Perform one-on-one supervision of children with disabilities including autism, complex mental health problems, and complex behavioral problems.
Help develop and carry-out treatment goals for individual clients as outlined in treatment plans and/or ISP goals and objectives.

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.

Direct care counselor vs certified medical technician skills

Common direct care counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 12%
Autism, 11%
CPR, 10%
Developmental Disabilities, 10%
Incident Reports, 9%
Data Collection, 8%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

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Direct Care Counselor vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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