Hospital social worker vs certified medical technician

The differences between hospital social workers 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 hospital social worker, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a hospital social worker has an average salary of $54,774, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a hospital social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Hospital social worker vs certified medical technician overview

	Hospital Social Worker	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$54,774	$38,859
Hourly rate	$26.33	$18.68
Growth rate	9%	5%
Number of jobs	105,520	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	2	12

What does a hospital social worker do?

The job of a hospital social worker is one that constantly puts them in the limelight. They perform duties to help patients as they navigate the process of being sick and hospitalized. They assist patients in dealing with the effects of hospitalization. They function as the middleman between patients and the hospital staff. They must also connect patients to much-needed services and assist with coordinating insurance reimbursements.

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.

Hospital social worker vs certified medical technician salary

Hospital social workers and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Social Worker	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$54,774	$38,859
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $77,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Medical Billing	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between hospital social worker and certified medical technician education

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Social Work	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Connecticut

Hospital social worker vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between hospital social workers' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Hospital Social Worker	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	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%	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	13%	8%

Differences between hospital social worker and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Hospital social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide individual therapy, case management, and insurance coverage reviews for individuals undergoing short-term rehabilitation.
Provide orientation, support and information to patients and their families to facilitate active involvement in the rehabilitation environment.
Perform assessments/social history upon admission to better understand the patient's needs and personal circumstances as they relate to their rehabilitation.
Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
Analyze psychological / psycho-social evaluations, IEP's, and medical histories within a referral packet to determine eligibility.

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.

Hospital social worker vs certified medical technician skills

Common hospital social worker skills

Social Work, 28%
Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 7%
MSW, 6%
Behavioral Health, 5%
Acute Care, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

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Hospital Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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