Study coordinator vs certified medical technician

The differences between study coordinators 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 study coordinator, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a study coordinator has an average salary of $47,435, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a study coordinator include patients, informed consent and IRB. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Study coordinator vs certified medical technician overview

	Study Coordinator	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$47,435	$38,859
Hourly rate	$22.81	$18.68
Growth rate	6%	5%
Number of jobs	14,929	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	12

What does a study coordinator do?

Study coordinators oversee the entire process of clinical research from its inception to its completion. The coordinators make certain that human subjects are safe and well-protected. They identify the eligibility of the subject through clinical record screening and medical information extracting. It is their responsibility to maintain the regulatory documents based on the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They should develop skills and knowledge in clinical trials, study protocol, and patient care.

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.

Study coordinator vs certified medical technician salary

Study coordinators and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Study Coordinator	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$47,435	$38,859
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $65,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	Bloodworks Northwest	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between study coordinator and certified medical technician education

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

	Study Coordinator	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Connecticut

Study coordinator vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between study coordinators' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Study Coordinator	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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	9%	8%

Differences between study coordinator and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Study coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage and analyze EKG and sleep data collect from subjects in confidential database.
Establish and maintain strong community partnerships to achieve HIV prevention objectives.
Conduct consent discussions and other study procedures per protocol and CFR and GCP guidelines.
Maintain strict patient confidentiality according to HIPPA regulations, GCP and ICH , 21 CFR and other regulatory documentation.
Maintain accurate IRB, regulatory and study documentation to insure compliance with protocol and good clinical practice guidelines.
Coordinate day-to-day study activities including data collection and statistical analysis, protocol development/implementation, IRB relations, and staff development.

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.

Study coordinator vs certified medical technician skills

Common study coordinator skills

Patients, 14%
Informed Consent, 9%
IRB, 7%
Data Collection, 5%
FDA, 5%
Clinical Trials, 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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Study Coordinator
Study Coordinator vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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