Volunteer research assistant vs certified medical technician

The differences between volunteer research assistants 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 volunteer research assistant, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a volunteer research assistant has an average salary of $52,906, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a volunteer research assistant include lab equipment, DR and literature reviews. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Volunteer research assistant vs certified medical technician overview

	Volunteer Research Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$52,906	$38,859
Hourly rate	$25.44	$18.68
Growth rate	19%	5%
Number of jobs	50,983	164,424
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	38	44
Years of experience	2	12

Volunteer research assistant vs certified medical technician salary

Volunteer research assistants and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Volunteer Research Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$52,906	$38,859
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $81,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between volunteer research assistant and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a volunteer research assistant and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Volunteer Research Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	Harvard University	University of Connecticut

Volunteer research assistant vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between volunteer research assistants' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Volunteer Research Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	38	44
Gender ratio	Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 16.4% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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	8%	8%

Differences between volunteer research assistant and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Volunteer research assistant example responsibilities.

Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
Compile subject questionnaires using SPSS data analysis software.
Perform DNA extraction and estimation.
Analyze isolated purity of RNA samples with Nanodrop machine.
Assist in procedures when need, such as isolating DNA.
Perform tissue homogenization, RNA isolation, and Qiagen RNA easy clean up.

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.

Volunteer research assistant vs certified medical technician skills

Common volunteer research assistant skills

Lab Equipment, 14%
DR, 12%
Literature Reviews, 7%
Data Collection, 6%
Cell Culture, 5%
Research Projects, 5%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Volunteer Research Assistant
Volunteer Research Assistant vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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