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The differences between surgical first assistants and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a surgical first assistant has an average salary of $61,480, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a surgical first assistant include patients, visualization and patient care. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Surgical First Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $61,480 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $29.56 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 28,503 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A surgical first assistant plays a vital role in a successful surgical procedure. They are primarily in charge of assisting surgeons, such as by arranging and handing over tools, holding open incisions, and dressing surgical wounds. They also perform tasks such as helping patients prepare for surgeries, transporting patients to different rooms, monitoring the inventory of supplies, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. Furthermore, it is essential to implement the safety protocols and measures before, during, and after surgeries for a safe and successful outcome.
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.
Surgical first assistants and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgical First Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $61,480 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $92,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | McAllen, TX | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a surgical first assistant and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Surgical First Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between surgical first assistants' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Surgical First Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 9.0% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 10% | 8% |