Orthoptist vs certified medical technician

The differences between orthoptists and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an orthoptist has an average salary of $69,904, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for an orthoptist include prism, eye movements and exam rooms. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Orthoptist vs certified medical technician overview

	Orthoptist	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$69,904	$38,859
Hourly rate	$33.61	$18.68
Growth rate	-	5%
Number of jobs	749	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	49	44
Years of experience	-	12

Orthoptist vs certified medical technician salary

Orthoptists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Orthoptist	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$69,904	$38,859
Salary range	Between $49,000 And $98,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Children's Hospital of Michigan	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between orthoptist and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between an orthoptist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Orthoptist	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Ophthalmic And Optometric Support Services	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Connecticut

Orthoptist vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between orthoptists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Orthoptist	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	49	44
Gender ratio	Male, 18.2% Female, 81.8%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 22.1% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	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	12%	8%

Differences between orthoptist and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Orthoptist example responsibilities.

Perform Tonometry (iCare, Tonopen).
Perform clinic work-ups/manifest refraction utilizing EMR, program and maintain laser equipment, clinical photography, and assist physicians during surgeries.
Project management and event coordinator responsibilities; Dr. Garcia hosts and attends numerous continuing education events yearly.

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.

Orthoptist vs certified medical technician skills

Common orthoptist skills

Prism, 33%
Eye Movements, 24%
Exam Rooms, 16%
Patient Education, 14%
Tonopen, 12%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

Orthoptist vs. similar jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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