First aid instructor vs certified medical technician

The differences between first aid instructors 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 first aid instructor, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a first aid instructor has an average salary of $44,903, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a first aid instructor include customer service, powerpoint and course materials. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

First aid instructor vs certified medical technician overview

	First Aid Instructor	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$44,903	$38,859
Hourly rate	$21.59	$18.68
Growth rate	12%	5%
Number of jobs	50,978	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	2	12

What does a first aid instructor do?

First aid instructors teach people skills such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid for poisoning, choking, and even burning. Instructors may teach both adults and children. They teach you ways to recognize emergency situations, respond with great caution, and wear protective gear. Instructors also inform students how to transfer patients to safety, treat minor injuries, and what to do if they need additional assistance.

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.

First aid instructor vs certified medical technician salary

First aid instructors and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	First Aid Instructor	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$44,903	$38,859
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $71,000	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 first aid instructor and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a first aid instructor and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	First Aid Instructor	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Connecticut

First aid instructor vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between first aid instructors' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	First Aid Instructor	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 42.5% Female, 57.5%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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 Percentage	12%	8%

Differences between first aid instructor and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

First aid instructor example responsibilities.

Manage verification and maintenance of employee databases which includes all mandatory licensing and certifications.
Provide patient medical care and referrals to rehabilitation services.
Teach all Phlebotomy, EKG, and CPR courses.
Act as first and secondary responder.
Summarize updates in ACLS for MALS teaching staff.
Work as a first responder at intramural sporting events.

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.

First aid instructor vs certified medical technician skills

Common first aid instructor skills

Customer Service, 33%
PowerPoint, 23%
Course Materials, 22%
First Aid/Aed, 7%
First Aid Training, 2%
Emergency Response, 1%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

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First Aid Instructor vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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