Research laboratory manager vs certified medical technician

The differences between research laboratory managers 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 research laboratory manager, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a research laboratory manager has an average salary of $64,333, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a research laboratory manager include lab equipment, research projects and lab safety. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Research laboratory manager vs certified medical technician overview

	Research Laboratory Manager	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$64,333	$38,859
Hourly rate	$30.93	$18.68
Growth rate	17%	5%
Number of jobs	89,981	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	41	44
Years of experience	4	12

What does a research laboratory manager do?

Research laboratory managers are management professionals who are responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of laboratories by implementing safety lab procedures. These managers are required to coordinate the repair and maintenance of lab equipment while training lab technicians and assistants on the correct use of equipment. They must perform experimental studies and analyze the research data collected for research projects. Research laboratory managers must also manage the inventory of laboratory equipment while coordinating the purchase of lab supplies.

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.

Research laboratory manager vs certified medical technician salary

Research laboratory managers and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Laboratory Manager	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$64,333	$38,859
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $91,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Maryland	Alaska
Best paying company	Meta	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between research laboratory manager and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a research laboratory manager and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Research Laboratory Manager	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Connecticut

Research laboratory manager vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between research laboratory managers' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Research Laboratory Manager	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	41	44
Gender ratio	Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	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 Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research laboratory manager and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Research laboratory manager example responsibilities.

Manage and order equipment and materials for lab usage with NIH grant and write monthly credit card reports.
Manage laboratory team activities v. assist set up and revision of project plans under the guidance of NIH vi.
Design, development and validation of cell-base assays; infrare EMSA analysis, western blotting, ELISA.
Prepare, perform RT-PCR and Q-PCR and analyze the results.
Write grant proposal, project reports, IRB applications, and documentation.
Compose and maintain all lab IRB protocols in accordance with HIPAA guidelines.

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.

Research laboratory manager vs certified medical technician skills

Common research laboratory manager skills

Lab Equipment, 9%
Research Projects, 8%
Lab Safety, 6%
Cell Culture, 5%
Patients, 5%
Research Lab, 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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Research Laboratory Manager
Research Laboratory Manager vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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