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Oncology social work vs medical social worker

The differences between oncology social works and medical social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an oncology social work and a medical social worker. Additionally, a medical social worker has an average salary of $57,093, which is higher than the $53,529 average annual salary of an oncology social work.

The top three skills for an oncology social work include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a medical social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Oncology social work vs medical social worker overview

Oncology Social WorkMedical Social Worker
Yearly salary$53,529$57,093
Hourly rate$25.74$27.45
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs99,79787,792
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeMaster's Degree, 49%Master's Degree, 48%
Average age4545
Years of experience22

Oncology social work vs medical social worker salary

Oncology social works and medical social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Oncology Social WorkMedical Social Worker
Average salary$53,529$57,093
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $65,000Between $42,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Health Advocates
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between oncology social work and medical social worker education

There are a few differences between an oncology social work and a medical social worker in terms of educational background:

Oncology Social WorkMedical Social Worker
Most common degreeMaster's Degree, 49%Master's Degree, 48%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Oncology social work vs medical social worker demographics

Here are the differences between oncology social works' and medical social workers' demographics:

Oncology Social WorkMedical Social Worker
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 14.4% Female, 85.6%Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between oncology social work and medical social worker duties and responsibilities

Oncology social work example responsibilities.

  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide necessary referrals and counseling to achieve establish patient goals.
  • Provide psycho-social assessments for the in-patient oncology patients which include counseling and brokering of resources in the community.
  • Facilitate home care, rehabilitation, and emergency referrals.
  • Provide brief strategic and crisis counseling for patients and families experiencing acute psychiatric or psychological distress during the treatment process.
  • Participate in hospital medico-legal ethics committee
  • Participate in hospital medico-legal ethics committee

Medical social worker example responsibilities.

  • Understand manage care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
  • Humanize the medical setting for elderly patients by using appropriate compassion in explaining complex information.
  • Provide crisis intervention, supportive counseling and trauma/grief counseling for patients and their families experiencing acute or chronic traumatic events.
  • Provide hands-on assessment and monitoring of suspect child abuse and neglect cases of children needing intensive rehabilitation and specialize care.
  • Provide social casework to patients having difficulty in social functioning, primarily as it affects their health and emotional rehabilitation.
  • Facilitate family counseling, crisis intervention, and assessments of specials population including geriatrics, homeless and substance abusing veterans.
  • Show more

Oncology social work vs medical social worker skills

Common oncology social work skills
  • Social Work, 26%
  • Patients, 20%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Crisis Intervention, 6%
  • Multidisciplinary, 4%
  • Mental Health, 4%
Common medical social worker skills
  • Social Work, 24%
  • Patients, 19%
  • Home Health, 11%
  • MSW, 7%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 3%

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