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The differences between mental health specialists and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a mental health specialist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a mental health specialist has an average salary of $47,321, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a mental health specialist include patients, social work and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Mental Health Specialist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $47,321 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $22.75 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 131,449 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
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.
Mental health specialists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Specialist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $47,321 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $71,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a mental health specialist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Specialist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between mental health specialists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Mental Health Specialist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 15% | 8% |