Medical Assistant Schools in Boston
If you would like to start a new career in the medical field, consider becoming a medical assistant. This growing career field allows you to start a career quickly. The skills you gain as a medical assistant are invaluableāthere are over 673,000 people living in Massachusetts, all of whom rely on skilled medical care.
The journey to becoming a medical assistant starts with an education from one of the many schools in Boston. If you’re not sure where to start, just take a look at our schools list below! You can use our list to easily contact any schools you’re interested in attending.
As a medical assistant, you may be able to work in a variety of settings. Boston is home to some of the best hospitals in Massachusetts, many of which rely on the help of medical assistants. You may work for great Boston hospitals like Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and South Shore Hospital.
You don’t have to worry about getting to and from class, thanks to the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. With subway, bus, and commuter rail service, you can get anywhere you need to go.
Medical Assistant Education in Boston
You may be curious about what kind of school you need to attend to become a medical assistant. You can earn a certificate in one year or you can earn an Associate’s degree in two years at local community and technical colleges. One of the benefits of attending a community or technical college is the low tuition rates. For instance, tuition at Bunker Hill Community College is $141 per credit for residents and $347 per credit for non-residents.
In your MA program, you will likely have to complete a variety of classroom and practical courses to get a thorough background in the medical field. Some of the classes you may have to take include Health Care Concepts, Clinical Competencies, Phlebotomy, and the Human Body in Health and Disease. You can plan on getting lots of hands-on experience in your classes. Your education may culminate with a semester-long practicum that allows you to get real experience in a hospital or clinic.
You may want to consider becoming a Certified Medical Assistant. You can sit for this exam, which is administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants, as early as 30 days prior to graduation. If this is a goal of yours, make sure your school’s curriculum lines up with the AAMA requirements.
Career Outlook for Medical Assistant Graduates in Boston
This can be an excellent career to start in Boston, since the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Boston has one of the highest employment rates of medical assistants in the country. Medical assistants in Boston can earn fairly competitive salaries; the average salary is $38,820
per year (BLS, 2015).
There are several ways to take your career to the next level. Consider joining a local professional group like the Massachusetts Society of Medical Assistants. This group provides many different benefits to its members, including networking events, continuing education courses, and exclusive job listings.
Salary numbers provided are from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.