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Geriatric social worker vs medical social worker

The differences between geriatric social workers and medical social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a geriatric social worker and a medical social worker. Additionally, a medical social worker has an average salary of $57,093, which is higher than the $53,890 average annual salary of a geriatric social worker.

The top three skills for a geriatric social worker include social work, patients and discharge planning. The most important skills for a medical social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Geriatric social worker vs medical social worker overview

Geriatric Social WorkerMedical Social Worker
Yearly salary$53,890$57,093
Hourly rate$25.91$27.45
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs43,83587,792
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Master's Degree, 48%
Average age4545
Years of experience22

Geriatric social worker vs medical social worker salary

Geriatric social workers and medical social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Geriatric Social WorkerMedical Social Worker
Average salary$53,890$57,093
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $71,000Between $42,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Health Advocates
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between geriatric social worker and medical social worker education

There are a few differences between a geriatric social worker and a medical social worker in terms of educational background:

Geriatric Social WorkerMedical Social Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Master's Degree, 48%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Geriatric social worker vs medical social worker demographics

Here are the differences between geriatric social workers' and medical social workers' demographics:

Geriatric Social WorkerMedical Social Worker
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 14.8% Female, 85.2%Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between geriatric social worker and medical social worker duties and responsibilities

Geriatric social worker example responsibilities.

  • Counsele patients and families, provide discharge planning and follow-up services and maintain relevant information regarding ancillary services and referrals.
  • Work with relatives of hospitalize patients to accept and cope with patients physical and mental challenges resulting from hospitalization.
  • Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
  • Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

Medical social worker example responsibilities.

  • Understand manage care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
  • Humanize the medical setting for elderly patients by using appropriate compassion in explaining complex information.
  • Provide crisis intervention, supportive counseling and trauma/grief counseling for patients and their families experiencing acute or chronic traumatic events.
  • Provide hands-on assessment and monitoring of suspect child abuse and neglect cases of children needing intensive rehabilitation and specialize care.
  • Provide social casework to patients having difficulty in social functioning, primarily as it affects their health and emotional rehabilitation.
  • Facilitate family counseling, crisis intervention, and assessments of specials population including geriatrics, homeless and substance abusing veterans.
  • Show more

Geriatric social worker vs medical social worker skills

Common geriatric social worker skills
  • Social Work, 33%
  • Patients, 23%
  • Discharge Planning, 11%
  • Community Resources, 10%
  • Group Therapy, 5%
  • Home Health, 2%
Common medical social worker skills
  • Social Work, 24%
  • Patients, 19%
  • Home Health, 11%
  • MSW, 7%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 3%

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