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The differences between shop helpers 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 shop helper, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $32,686 average annual salary of a shop helper.
The top three skills for a shop helper include customer service, tape measure and grinders. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Shop Helper | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $32,686 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $15.71 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 23,652 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A shop helper is in charge of providing technical assistance to staff. Their responsibilities include operating devices and machinery, assisting in kit arrangements, preparing and handing over tools to mechanics, monitoring the inventory of supplies, and performing basic repairs as needed. They may also perform clerical support tasks such as preparing and processing documentation, answering calls and correspondence, handling request procedures, and maintaining records of transactions. Furthermore, as a shop helper, it is essential to keep an active communication line with staff, coordinating for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Shop helpers and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shop Helper | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $32,686 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commerce City, CO | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | NBCUniversal | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a shop helper and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Shop Helper | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between shop helpers' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Shop Helper | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.2% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | 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 | 4% | 8% |