Rehabilitation counselor vs certified medical technician

The differences between rehabilitation counselors and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a rehabilitation counselor and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a rehabilitation counselor has an average salary of $43,111, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a rehabilitation counselor include rehabilitation, social work and mental health. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Rehabilitation counselor vs certified medical technician overview

	Rehabilitation Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$43,111	$38,859
Hourly rate	$20.73	$18.68
Growth rate	11%	5%
Number of jobs	77,220	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	12	12

What does a rehabilitation counselor do?

Rehabilitation counselors are professional counselors who are responsible for helping individuals cope with their disabilities to live independently. These counselors are required to consult other professionals, family members, and individuals when developing a treatment plan based on the goals, strengths, limitations, and personal values of their clients. They must make connections with community support so that individuals with disabilities can avail of the types of services that are available. Rehabilitation counselors must also find employers and educate them in understanding the needs and abilities of disabled people.

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.

Rehabilitation counselor vs certified medical technician salary

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

	Rehabilitation Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$43,111	$38,859
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $58,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Cleveland, OH	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Ohio	Alaska
Best paying company	North Shore Healthcare	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between rehabilitation counselor and certified medical technician education

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

	Rehabilitation Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Washington	University of Connecticut

Rehabilitation counselor vs certified medical technician demographics

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

	Rehabilitation Counselor	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	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	21%	8%

Differences between rehabilitation counselor and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Rehabilitation counselor example responsibilities.

Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
Develop and manage multidisciplinary rehabilitation center.
Organize and implement individualized rehabilitation programs.
Supervise CRC and LMHC students for practicum and internships at site.
Provide individualized counseling to psychiatric patients, resulting in their social development.
Interview, evaluate interests/aptitudes and transferable skills in order to optimize occupational exploration and customize formal training programs.

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.

Rehabilitation counselor vs certified medical technician skills

Common rehabilitation counselor skills

Rehabilitation, 23%
Social Work, 12%
Mental Health, 12%
Patients, 6%
Management System, 4%
Vocational Rehabilitation, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

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

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Rehabilitation Counselor
Rehabilitation Counselor vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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