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The differences between health specialists and medical specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health specialist, becoming a medical specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a health specialist has an average salary of $47,740, which is higher than the $40,277 average annual salary of a medical specialist.
The top three skills for a health specialist include patients, health education and public health. The most important skills for a medical specialist are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Health Specialist | Medical Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,740 | $40,277 |
| Hourly rate | $22.95 | $19.36 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 72,463 | 68,607 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 45 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
A health specialist is primarily responsible for the health and welfare care of patients in a community or medical facility. They are also responsible for providing consultations, conducting assessments and examinations, providing prescriptions, and recommending care methods. A health specialist may also diagnose and treat ailments and injuries, coordinate with other health experts, and discuss conditions with patients and their families. Furthermore, a health specialist may participate in public discussions to raise awareness of health issues and lifestyles.
Medical specialists are responsible for diagnosing patients and performing medical procedures according to their areas of expertise. They coordinate with the clinical team on administering medications, conducting laboratory examinations, and monitoring admitted patients, ensuring that they receive high-quality care services from the medical staff. A medical specialist also communicates with the patients' families to respond to their medical inquiries and concerns, as well as providing them with updates on the patients' progress. A medical specialist observes the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities at all times, including the inspection of medical tools and equipment for operations.
Health specialists and medical specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Specialist | Medical Specialist | |
| Average salary | $47,740 | $40,277 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $72,000 | Between $21,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | City of Seattle | Adobe |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a health specialist and a medical specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Specialist | Medical Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between health specialists' and medical specialists' demographics:
| Health Specialist | Medical Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 9.0% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |