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The differences between senior medical writers 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 senior medical writer, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a senior medical writer has an average salary of $99,453, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a senior medical writer include medical writing, clinical data and clinical study reports. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Senior Medical Writer | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $99,453 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $47.81 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 59,478 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A Senior Medical Writer is responsible for writing comprehensive medical texts and composition for various audiences according to required themes and subjects. Senior Medical Writers maintain the accuracy and authenticity of all information by coordinating with medical professionals and other related parties to gather data. They also study recent trends and innovations within the medical industry and share findings with the clients for further study. A Senior Medical Writer must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in training junior writers and setting recommendations for high-quality publications.
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.
Senior medical writers and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Medical Writer | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $99,453 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $157,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Biogen | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior medical writer and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Medical Writer | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between senior medical writers' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Senior Medical Writer | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.9% Female, 62.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 8% |