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The differences between surgery technicians and medical service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a surgery technician has an average salary of $41,646, which is higher than the $37,943 average annual salary of a medical service technician.
The top three skills for a surgery technician include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a medical service technician are patients, customer service, and vital signs.
| Surgery Technician | Medical Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,646 | $37,943 |
| Hourly rate | $20.02 | $18.24 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 83,376 | 189,362 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 32 | 36 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A surgery technician plays a vital role in the success of medical surgeries. They are primarily in charge of performing essential support tasks such as sanitizing and preparing operating rooms, setting-up equipment, sterilizing instruments, and ensuring that supplies are accurate and adequate. They also prepare patients before surgeries, assist surgeons by handing out supplies or tools, and participate in transporting the patients from one room to another. Moreover, they must maintain an active communication line with nurses and surgeons, coordinating every step of the way.
A medical service technician provides health care and treatments to patients under the supervision or directives of a more experienced physician. Most of their responsibilities revolve around assessing a patient's condition, administering required aid, diagnosing patients, conducting check-ups, and counseling patients. There are also instances when a medical service technician may prescribe medications, conduct inspections at facilities to ensure sanitary conditions, and coordinate with hospital staff for requesting supplies. Furthermore, it is crucial to have accurate documentation of all processes and transactions, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and standards.
Surgery technicians and medical service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgery Technician | Medical Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,646 | $37,943 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $23,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Salem, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | Sunrise Systems |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a surgery technician and a medical service technician in terms of educational background:
| Surgery Technician | Medical Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between surgery technicians' and medical service technicians' demographics:
| Surgery Technician | Medical Service Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7% | Male, 30.8% Female, 69.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 4.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |