Laboratory support technician vs certified medical technician

The differences between laboratory support technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a laboratory support technician and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $36,799 average annual salary of a laboratory support technician.

The top three skills for a laboratory support technician include patients, phlebotomy and customer service. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Laboratory support technician vs certified medical technician overview

	Laboratory Support Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$36,799	$38,859
Hourly rate	$17.69	$18.68
Growth rate	-	5%
Number of jobs	131,128	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	12	12

What does a laboratory support technician do?

A laboratory support technician is responsible for assisting scientists and medical professionals in conducting experiments and laboratory examinations. Laboratory support technicians organize samples, label them accurately, and record the results timely on the system. They also ensure that all the laboratory tools and equipment are sterilized and well-maintained, avoiding possible contaminations that may affect the accuracy of deliverables. A laboratory support technician coordinates with the patients for appointments, releasing of medical results, and applying scientific methods on evaluating data. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties as needed under the supervision of a head laboratory technician.

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.

Laboratory support technician vs certified medical technician salary

Laboratory support technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Support Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$36,799	$38,859
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $50,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Thousand Oaks, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Maine	Alaska
Best paying company	Sandia National Labs	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between laboratory support technician and certified medical technician education

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

	Laboratory Support Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	New York University	University of Connecticut

Laboratory support technician vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory support technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Laboratory Support Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 45.4% Female, 54.6%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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	8%	8%

Differences between laboratory support technician and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Laboratory support technician example responsibilities.

Manage company LIMS database system of test results and implement new and improve testing procedures.
Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
Improve preparation technique of media and reagents utilizing QC and GMP experience.
Run, QC, and report PCR and EIA testing.
Take QC and temperatures, decontamination.
Used various centrifuges to spin the specimens.

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.

Laboratory support technician vs certified medical technician skills

Common laboratory support technician skills

Patients, 16%
Phlebotomy, 13%
Customer Service, 11%
Laboratory Procedures, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Specimen Collection, 5%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

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Laboratory Support Technician
Laboratory Support Technician vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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