To begin the process of becoming a medical assistant, it is recommended that you attend an accredited post-secondary institution to receive formal medical assistant training, such as a vocational school, junior college, technical institute, or community college. Most training programs will lead to a certificate or a diploma, but some offer more extensive medical training, which lead to an associate’s degree.

You may also find this article about what type of degree a medical assistant should have helpful.

Most medical assisting schools only require you to have graduated from a recognized high school, or a U.S. Department of Education-accepted equivalent (i.e. G.E.D.). Most schools will have you submit an application to begin the process of enrolling in the program. Be sure to reach out to your chosen school’s admissions staff for guidance through your application process.

If your program outcome is a certificate or diploma, most of these programs can be completed in a year or less. If you’re working towards your associate’s degree in medical assisting, it may take around two years to complete your program.

When searching for schools, make sure to check if an institution’s medical assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools ( ABHES). If your program of choice isn’t accredited, you risk not being able to sit for the certification exam, or not being able to become a registered medical assistant after completion of your program.

Medical Assisting programs come in many different shapes and sizes, so the best option is just to find an accredited program that offers class schedules that will fit into your life. Additionally, you may want to consider whether you’d like a diploma/certificate program, or an associate’s degree program, as they do vary by program length.

You may also be interested in reading this article about how to pick a medical assistant program.

All of the schools listed on our site offer accredited medical assisting programs. Please visit a program or state-based page to find a school that matches your interests and request more information. When you’re contacted by a school admissions representative, be sure to ask them which accrediting body their school is affiliated with, as well as some questions like:

– How long does the program take to complete?
– What types of classes will I be taking?
– Is this is a certificate, diploma, or degree program?
– Are there financial aid options available?
– Does your program offer an externship or any type of clinical training?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment is expected to grow 31 percent from 2010 to 2020. This is six percent more growth than growth of all other healthcare support occupations. From these statistics, it appears that job outlook for medical assisting is very positive and will continue to be a growing and stable career field.

Additionally, according to a 2012 survey conducted by the City University of New York, all graduates of the sample population indicated that they were “very or somewhat satisfied with their current or most recent medical assistant job“.

This can vary by location, qualifications and specialization; however, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that there are an increasing number of primary care facilities in need medical assistants to help doctors maintain their practices. With a projected increase of 31 percent in the medical assistant career field, medical assisting jobs should be readily available.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage of medical assistants was $30,780 in 2013. This breaks down to an average earning of $14.80 per hour. The top 10 percent of certified medical assistants earned more than $40,000 per year.

While medical assistants are not required to be certified, employers tend to hire certified assistants, so becoming a certified medical assistant may be a very smart career move.

The first step for becoming a certified medical assistant is completing an accredited medical assisting education program and then applying to take the certification exam. Once your application has been approved, you will receive information to schedule your exam appointment; you will only have a 90-day window in which you are eligible to take the exam, so be ready! Once you pass the exam, you will receive your proof of certification so that you can notify future employers of your credentials.

There are four different certifications that you may receive as a medical assistant:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)* from the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
• Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from the American Medical Technologists
• National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) from the National Center for Competency Testing
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the National Health Career Association

*Before you’re eligible to take the CMA Certification Examination, you must complete a postsecondary medical assisting program that is accredited by either the CAAHEP, or the ABHES.

More Information: 10 Reasons to Get Certified in Medical Assisting

Additionally, if you’d like more information on the steps required to become a certified medical assistant (CMA), please visit the American Associate of Medical Assistants.

There are several key differences between medical assistants and nurses, but the biggest differences include which job tasks are performed and the education requirements for each career.

Nurses are responsible for patient care. This includes taking and monitoring vitals, providing basic patient care, keeping patient records, and discussing health concerns with patients and doctors. Medical assistants are more in charge of the “clerical” duties around the office, rather than directly caring for patients. These clerical duties may include organizing patient documents, scheduling appointments, or recording patient’s personal information. However, depending on the practice and the state, medical assistants may also perform basic patient care tasks, such as taking blood pressure, preparing blood for laboratory tests, or assisting a physician with exams.

The other major difference between a medical assistant and a nurse is the amount of education required to start your career. Medical assistants may attend a school specifically for medical assisting, and it typically takes only about one year to complete a medical assisting diploma/certificate program. However, medical assistants do not need to attend a specific college; they may just receive on-the-job training from their physician’s office, as there are no formal education requirements to become a medical assistant in most states. Still, many employers require that you have specific medical assistant training to be eligible for hire.

Medical assistants can work in a variety of settings, such as inpatient and outpatient hospitals, or other professional health offices, such as chiropractic or optometrist offices.

A medical assistant’s job can vary depending on the state in which you work (due to legal guidelines, which may vary by state) and the type of setting that you work in. However, a medical assistant’s job duties can include:

– Administrative work (greeting clients, filing paper work, scheduling appointments, arrange for laboratory services, etc.)
– Taking a patient’s vitals
– Preparing patients for exams
– Performing basic laboratory tests
– Assist the physician with routine procedures and processes

For more information, you can also check out this article about what to expect as a medical assistant.

This will depend on which state you are practicing in. Some states legally permit certified medical assistants to perform lab work or procedures, such as
drawing blood and giving shots, while others do not. To find more information relating to the scope of practice of medical assistants, check with your
state medical board, or state-based medical assistant association.