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The differences between laboratory phlebotomists and medical scribes can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a laboratory phlebotomist, becoming a medical scribe takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a laboratory phlebotomist has an average salary of $33,951, which is higher than the $30,045 average annual salary of a medical scribe.
The top three skills for a laboratory phlebotomist include patients, customer service and specimen collection. The most important skills for a medical scribe are patients, medical terminology, and excellent organizational.
| Laboratory Phlebotomist | Medical Scribe | |
| Yearly salary | $33,951 | $30,045 |
| Hourly rate | $16.32 | $14.44 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 48,645 | 80,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A laboratory phlebotomist is primarily in charge of drawing and processing blood samples from patients and clients for laboratory analysis. They must also perform clerical tasks such as maintaining records of all procedures and results, producing laboratory reports, responding to inquiries, answering calls and correspondence, and liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers. Furthermore, as a laboratory phlebotomist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with laboratory and hospital staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
As a medical scribe, their main responsibility is to follow a physician's daily work and do charting of patient encounters in real-time by accessing their medical electronic health record (EHR). It is their duty to make sure the patient schedules are followed, generate referral letters for physicians and manage and sort medical documents within the EHR. Medical scribes can be held as data custodians, medical assistants, and nurses to focus on patient in-take and care throughout clinic hours. In addition, they manage patient flow through the clinic and increase productivity to cater to more patients.
Laboratory phlebotomists and medical scribes have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Phlebotomist | Medical Scribe | |
| Average salary | $33,951 | $30,045 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $45,000 | Between $23,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory phlebotomist and a medical scribe in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Phlebotomist | Medical Scribe | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Biology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between laboratory phlebotomists' and medical scribes' demographics:
| Laboratory Phlebotomist | Medical Scribe | |
| Average age | 41 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8% | Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 9.6% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |