Public health microbiologist vs certified medical technician

The differences between public health microbiologists 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 public health microbiologist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a public health microbiologist has an average salary of $64,113, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a public health microbiologist include extraction, quality control procedures and body fluids. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Public health microbiologist vs certified medical technician overview

	Public Health Microbiologist	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$64,113	$38,859
Hourly rate	$30.82	$18.68
Growth rate	9%	5%
Number of jobs	65,489	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 90%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	40	44
Years of experience	2	12

What does a public health microbiologist do?

Public health administrators are like health administrators, except that their focus is on population health. When working at an office, outreach is a critical part of their work. They will need to interface with the community they serve. They travel outside of the office for fundraising, public speaking, and public engagement on a regular basis. Their responsibilities include developing community programs that improve public health, assessing community health issues, and creating budgets related to public health operations.

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.

Public health microbiologist vs certified medical technician salary

Public health microbiologists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Public Health Microbiologist	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$64,113	$38,859
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $90,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between public health microbiologist and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a public health microbiologist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Public Health Microbiologist	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 90%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Microbiology	Nursing
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Connecticut

Public health microbiologist vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between public health microbiologists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Public Health Microbiologist	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	40	44
Gender ratio	Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 11.1% White, 74.7% 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	10%	8%

Differences between public health microbiologist and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Public health microbiologist example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Extract DNA from patient samples using complex laboratory equipment.
Perform high-complexity public health testing including ELISA, PCR, DFA/IFA, viral and bacterial cultures, serologies and drug susceptibilities.
Secure database entry within FDA compliance regulations and laboratory notebook entries.
Conduct biochemical assays including biochemical identification of microorganisms.
Conduct biochemical assays including biochemical identification of microorganisms.

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.

Public health microbiologist vs certified medical technician skills

Common public health microbiologist skills

Extraction, 17%
Quality Control Procedures, 16%
Body Fluids, 10%
Pathogens, 9%
Proficiency Testing, 6%
DNA, 6%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

Public Health Microbiologist vs. similar jobs

Public Health Microbiologist related careers

Public Health Microbiologist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Public Health Microbiologist
Public Health Microbiologist vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs