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Patient Care Technician Vs Certified Medical Technician

The differences between patient care technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $32,806 average annual salary of a patient care technician.

The top three skills for a patient care technician include patients, vital signs and phlebotomy. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Patient care technician vs certified medical technician overview

Patient Care TechnicianCertified Medical Technician
Yearly Salary$32,806$38,859
Hourly rate$15.77$18.68
Growth Rate9%5%
Number Of Jobs167,520164,424
Job Satisfaction5-
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average Age3444
Years Of Experience-12

What does a Patient Care Technician do?

Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.

What does a certified medical technician do?

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.

Patient care technician vs certified medical technician salary

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

Patient Care TechnicianCertified Medical Technician
Average Salary$32,806$38,859
Salary RangeBetween $24,000 And $43,000Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest Paying CityRochester, NHDenton, TX
Highest Paying StateVermontAlaska
Best Paying CompanyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterFavorite Healthcare Staffing
Best Paying IndustryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between patient care technician and certified medical technician education

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

Patient Care TechnicianCertified Medical Technician
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 27%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most Common MajorNursingNursing
Most Common CollegeEmory UniversityUniversity of Connecticut

Patient care technician vs certified medical technician demographics

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

Patient Care TechnicianCertified Medical Technician
Average Age3444
Gender RatioMale, 19.0% Female, 81.0%Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race RatioBlack or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%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 Percentage15%8%

Differences between patient care technician and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Patient Care Technician Example Responsibilities.

  • Manage care and prepare medical records, transcription and supply orders.
  • Manage daily care of high acuity patients with neurological trauma/disorders and post-surgery.
  • Qualify to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.
  • Transport patients using wheelchairs and stretchers and assist patients to ambulate safely.
  • Assist with transferring patients in and out of wheelchairs, recliners, and stretchers.
  • Apply protective restraints safely and appropriately, assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients as needed.
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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.
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Patient care technician vs certified medical technician skills

Common Patient Care Technician Skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Direct Patient Care, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
Common Certified Medical Technician Skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Vital Signs, 12%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Administer Medications, 7%
  • Resident Care, 6%
  • HIPAA, 6%

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