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The differences between practitioners and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a practitioner, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a practitioner has an average salary of $84,058, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a practitioner include patients, patient care and social work. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Practitioner | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $84,058 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $40.41 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 40% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 42,062 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
The duties of a practitioner depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In the medical field, a practitioner is a doctor who provides medical services to patients according to their health issues or concerns, primarily by diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries. Their responsibilities include performing examinations and assessments, providing consultations and advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also maintain an active communication line with nurses and technicians for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Practitioners and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Practitioner | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $84,058 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $138,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Morgan Stanley | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a practitioner and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Practitioner | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between practitioners' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Practitioner | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 77.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |