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The differences between medical specialists and specialists 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 specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $40,277 average annual salary of a medical specialist.
The top three skills for a medical specialist include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Medical Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,277 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $19.36 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 68,607 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Medical specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,277 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $75,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Adobe | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a medical specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Medical Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between medical specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Medical Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |