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The differences between medical scribes and certified phlebotomists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical scribe, becoming a certified phlebotomist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a certified phlebotomist has an average salary of $34,509, which is higher than the $30,045 average annual salary of a medical scribe.
The top three skills for a medical scribe include patients, medical terminology and excellent organizational. The most important skills for a certified phlebotomist are patients, blood specimens, and phlebotomy procedures.
| Medical Scribe | Certified Phlebotomist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,045 | $34,509 |
| Hourly rate | $14.44 | $16.59 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 80,035 | 44,574 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
A certified phlebotomist is a medical professional who specializes in drawing blood through venipuncture or finger and heel pricks, preparing the samples for laboratory procedures. Besides collecting blood, a phlebotomist is also responsible for gathering patient information, verifying identification, reviewing medical histories, labeling vials, and maintaining records, including diagnostic findings. They are also in charge of keeping laboratory equipment clean, discarding trash appropriately, and organizing supplies according to policies, ordering new supplies when necessary. Above all, a certified phlebotomist maintains an open and transparent communication line with nurses and physicians for an efficient workflow.
Medical scribes and certified phlebotomists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Scribe | Certified Phlebotomist | |
| Average salary | $30,045 | $34,509 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $38,000 | Between $27,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | - |
| Best paying company | Boston Medical Center | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a medical scribe and a certified phlebotomist in terms of educational background:
| Medical Scribe | Certified Phlebotomist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical scribes' and certified phlebotomists' demographics:
| Medical Scribe | Certified Phlebotomist | |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6% | Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 9.8% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |