Primary therapist vs certified medical technician

The differences between primary therapists 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 primary therapist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a primary therapist has an average salary of $59,826, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a primary therapist include patients, social work and group therapy sessions. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Primary therapist vs certified medical technician overview

	Primary Therapist	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$59,826	$38,859
Hourly rate	$28.76	$18.68
Growth rate	9%	5%
Number of jobs	85,127	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	4	12

What does a primary therapist do?

Primary therapists are the main point of contact for patients concerning wellness and overall mental health. Those who choose this career path will be expected to supervise and manage efficient treatment according to plan, and to manage between six and eight patients at a time, keeping in constant communication with these patients and various specialists.

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.

Primary therapist vs certified medical technician salary

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

	Primary Therapist	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$59,826	$38,859
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $83,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Thousand Oaks, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Appalachian Regional Healthcare	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between primary therapist and certified medical technician education

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

	Primary Therapist	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	University of Connecticut

Primary therapist vs certified medical technician demographics

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

	Primary Therapist	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9%	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%

Differences between primary therapist and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Primary therapist example responsibilities.

Case managing, intakes, group and individual session, treatment plans, OASAS standards
Provide clinical therapy for severely emotionally disturb adolescents and their families to aid in the rehabilitation process.
Perform crisis intervention, including management of difficult or resistant patients, utilizing clinically appropriate accept techniques and methods.
Assist in development of extend hour IOP and PHP program.
experience, IOP, individual sessions, assessments, case management.
Assist in developing and assessing progress on individual rehabilitation plans.

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.

Primary therapist vs certified medical technician skills

Common primary therapist skills

Patients, 17%
Social Work, 14%
Group Therapy Sessions, 8%
Eating Disorders, 7%
Patient Care, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 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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Primary Therapist vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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