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Family specialist vs certified medical technician

The differences between family specialists and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a family specialist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a family specialist has an average salary of $40,115, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a family specialist include social work, foster care and substance abuse. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Family specialist vs certified medical technician overview

Family SpecialistCertified Medical Technician
Yearly salary$40,115$38,859
Hourly rate$19.29$18.68
Growth rate9%5%
Number of jobs81,148164,424
Job satisfaction2-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age4244
Years of experience412

What does a family specialist do?

A Family Specialist performs social work for families in need. They are focused on helping individuals and families to improve their lives.

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.

Family specialist vs certified medical technician salary

Family specialists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Family SpecialistCertified Medical Technician
Average salary$40,115$38,859
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $51,000Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WADenton, TX
Highest paying stateWashingtonAlaska
Best paying companyBrigham and Women's HospitalFavorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industryTechnologyHealth Care

Differences between family specialist and certified medical technician education

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

Family SpecialistCertified Medical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common majorPsychologyNursing
Most common collegeSUNY at AlbanyUniversity of Connecticut

Family specialist vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between family specialists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

Family SpecialistCertified Medical Technician
Average age4244
Gender ratioMale, 32.4% Female, 67.6%Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%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 Percentage10%8%

Differences between family specialist and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Family specialist example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Complete family assessments and supervise visit documentation for family DHS worker and also for court hearing purposes.
  • Co-Facilitate state require GPS: MAPP training for prospective adoptive parents.
  • Do MAPP trainings with potential foster and adoptive parents to assist them to make an inform decision.
  • Assess the families' capacity to protect their children, and ensure compliance with the DHS safety plan.
  • Develop deep trust and credibility through empathy, integrity, compassion and consistently providing sound advice and helpful support.
  • 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

Family specialist vs certified medical technician skills

Common family specialist skills
  • Social Work, 22%
  • Foster Care, 11%
  • Substance Abuse, 7%
  • Crisis Intervention, 7%
  • Child Abuse, 6%
  • Community Resources, 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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