Flight surgeon vs certified medical technician

The differences between flight surgeons and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a flight surgeon, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a flight surgeon has an average salary of $429,498, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a flight surgeon include primary care, USAF and medical support. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Flight surgeon vs certified medical technician overview

	Flight Surgeon	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$429,498	$38,859
Hourly rate	$206.49	$18.68
Growth rate	7%	5%
Number of jobs	4,876	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	49	44
Years of experience	6	12

Flight surgeon vs certified medical technician salary

Flight surgeons and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Flight Surgeon	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$429,498	$38,859
Salary range	Between $214,000 And $860,000	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 flight surgeon and certified medical technician education

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

	Flight Surgeon	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Connecticut

Flight surgeon vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between flight surgeons' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Flight Surgeon	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	49	44
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	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	12%	8%

Differences between flight surgeon and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Flight surgeon example responsibilities.

Attain proficiency in high volume spay/neuter surgeries in order to support the mission of fighting pet overpopulation.
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Collect R/R, IME and QME as they come in thru the billing department without having the case settle.

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.

Flight surgeon vs certified medical technician skills

Common flight surgeon skills

Primary Care, 59%
USAF, 29%
Medical Support, 4%
Physical Exams, 3%
Medical Examinations, 1%
NASA, 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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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Flight Surgeon
Flight Surgeon vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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