Medical office administrative assistant vs certified medical technician

The differences between medical office administrative assistants 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 medical office administrative assistant and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $33,856 average annual salary of a medical office administrative assistant.

The top three skills for a medical office administrative assistant include patients, CPT and patient care. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Medical office administrative assistant vs certified medical technician overview

	Medical Office Administrative Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$33,856	$38,859
Hourly rate	$16.28	$18.68
Growth rate	16%	5%
Number of jobs	136,278	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	37	44
Years of experience	12	12

What does a medical office administrative assistant do?

Medical Office Administrative Assistants are responsible for providing administrative support to a medical facility. Their duties include documenting case histories through patient interviews, updating patient health records, scheduling appointments, processing insurance claims adhering to legal regulations, assisting patient paperwork, and managing receivables and payables accounts. They also attend to patient inquiries and assist nurses and doctors with test scheduling, supplies ordering, and medical examinations. Medical Office Administrative Assistants use medical software to process transactions and keep abreast with changes in insurance and medical legislation.

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.

Medical office administrative assistant vs certified medical technician salary

Medical office administrative assistants and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Office Administrative Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$33,856	$38,859
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between medical office administrative assistant and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a medical office administrative assistant and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Medical Office Administrative Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Nursing
Most common college	-	University of Connecticut

Medical office administrative assistant vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical office administrative assistants' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Medical Office Administrative Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	37	44
Gender ratio	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 9.3% White, 50.7% 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	6%	8%

Differences between medical office administrative assistant and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Medical office administrative assistant example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files according to HIPAA regulations, and implement log books to automate patient records management.
Provide front and back office support for surgeons by administratively managing and monitoring patients.
Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
Prepare employee schedules, assist with patient triage, assist with cosmetic and medical procedures as needed.
Verify and process patient insurance coverage and handle tasks relate to insurance information of patients.
Recommend and/or initiate patient management in cases of acute distress with medications, laboratory orders and initiation of CPR when necessary.

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.

Medical office administrative assistant vs certified medical technician skills

Common medical office administrative assistant skills

Patients, 32%
CPT, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Patient Appointments, 4%
Phone Calls, 4%
Insurance Verification, 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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Medical Office Administrative Assistant
Medical Office Administrative Assistant vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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