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The differences between medics and medical specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a medical specialist has an average salary of $40,277, which is higher than the $35,815 average annual salary of a medic.
The top three skills for a medic include patients, patient care and customer service. The most important skills for a medical specialist are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Medic | Medical Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,815 | $40,277 |
| Hourly rate | $17.22 | $19.36 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 17,384 | 68,607 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A medic, or often called combat medic, is a healthcare professional responsible for providing continuous medical care to military personnel who are injured on the battlefield. In the absence of physicians, medics are typically co-located with the combat troops. This is so that military men's movement is convenient and administering emergency medical treatment to battlefield casualties is achievable. They provide combat lifesaver training courses to military personnel and manage medical supplies and equipment. To be a medic, candidates must take basic combat and advanced individual training, including patient care.
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.
Medics and medical specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medic | Medical Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,815 | $40,277 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $66,000 | Between $21,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Regeneron | Adobe |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a medic and a medical specialist in terms of educational background:
| Medic | Medical Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medics' and medical specialists' demographics:
| Medic | Medical Specialist | |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.4% Female, 56.6% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.5% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 8% | 6% |