What Does a Medical Assistant Career Entail?
Embark on your medical assistant career in two years or less. You don’t have to spend four years or more in school before you begin your career. If you attend a trade school to earn your degree or certificate, you’ll be able to land a job and begin working much more quickly.
Once you begin working, you’ll find that each day is very different. Depending on your specialization, if you choose one, you may have direct contact with patients or be handling mostly administrative tasks. Your role as a medical assistant may sometimes feel like you’re at the “bottom of the totem pole” but think about the amount and types of work you’ll handle; if you weren’t the person handling them, managers, nurses, and doctors would have to do them. In your role, you’ll help to make daily patient care processes run much more smoothly.
Components of a Successful Medical Assistant Career
Before you walk into your job on your first day, understand that you’ll be held to a much higher professional standard than entry-level employees elsewhere. You need to know and comply with the HIPAA Act. Patients place their confidence in you; knowing you’ll respect their confidentiality will go far in allowing them to trust you.
You’ll have to exercise daily drive and motivation to get to your classes every day. In your new position you’ll need to be loyal, courteous, dependable, show initiative, credibility, be flexible, optimistic, and respect patient confidentiality.
What Do They Do?
You may cover mostly clinical responsibilities. Or you may have been hired to deal more with administrative tasks. No matter what your role, here’s a look at your daily work as a medical assistant.
Expect to be called to help where nurses are busy. You may draw blood or take care of lab tests or you may be assigned to handle the phones or deal with medical billing and coding.
Typical Educational Requirements
Before you begin your education, let alone start working in a doctor’s office, you need to complete several steps.
First, have either your high school diploma or a GED if you didn’t complete high school.
Next, earn a medical assistant certificate so you can step into this profession. In some states, certification at a minimum, is required. Or you may want to enter a full-fledged degree program at a two-year trade school. Here, you’ll receive instruction and training in the role you want.
Typical Certifications Needed
First, you can choose a certificate program, rather than a degree program. If you decide to advance, you may decide to earn an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in medical assisting.
Once you graduate, you can earn other certifications after sitting an exam:
- Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers
- Certified Medical Assistant
- Certified Phlebotomy
- Registered Medical Assistant
- Certified Electrocardiography
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
Once you earn one of these certificates, you’ll be able to apply for almost any position you want.
Academic Standards for a Degree/Certification
Before graduating, you’ll have to show that you have met all required academic standards of the medical assisting program:
- Understand basic physiology, anatomy, and disease processes of the human body
- Show a basic knowledge of ethics and laws as they concern the medical office
- Make exam rooms ready for patients; prepare patients for physicals by using established procedures (vital signs) and using sanitizing techniques to prevent infections
- Carry out basic medical office functions such as scheduling, insurance, reimbursement, coding, accounting, and bookkeeping
- Show academic skills; writing, oral communication, literacy, and information literacy
- Look for ways to complete educational and career development
- Complete Registered Medical Assistant or Certified Medical Assistant exams with passing scores.
Exam/Experience Needed
To be legally able to work in a medical office, you need certification from your state. Once you graduate, get ready to begin studying again. You’ll take the certification exam required by your state and you may have to do so within a certain timeframe, so make sure you stay on top of things. Study the testing subjects and take the exam on testing day. Once you’ve taken the exam, your official scores should be sent to you.
Get as much experience as you can. Your program may require that you take part in an unpaid externship or internship. These are required so you can gain the necessary experience. Your state or medical assistant program will require you to complete a specific number of hours.
Important Questions to Ask (FAQ)
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Degree or Certification Online?
Entering a trade school to major in a medical assistant program won’t take you very long. While a traditional, four-year college means that you’ll be in school for four years (or more), a medical assistant program will take much less time.
If you opt for a diploma, you’ll be in school for about 12 months. If you choose an associate degree, you’ll be in school for up to two years. With this option, you’ll have a wider set of career options from which to choose.
Finally, if you choose certification (meaning you’ll be a certified medical assistant, or CMA), you may be in school for a little longer than 12 months.
How Much Does a Degree or Certificate Cost?
Depending on where you live in the country, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to more than $10,000. Your choice of program will also affect how much tuition you pay.
If you look at the entire two-year medical assistant program, expect to pay $33,720 at one school; your books and supplies would cost around $3,200. At another school, you may pay $12,482, while books and supplies would cost $507.
Once you graduate and get ready to take your certification exam, you’ll have to pay for an exam fee. All of this is worth it if you emerge at the other end with a viable, lucrative career.
How Many Students Graduate “On Time,” in 12 or 24 Months?
For 2017, graduation rates were at 28% of all students in trade schools or community colleges. These students graduated in 150% of the “normal” amount of time required for their chosen program.
What Kind of Accreditation Does the Online Program Hold? How is it Regarded in the Field?
Trade schools, community colleges and vocational schools should hold regional accreditation, which highlights the high quality of the education and faculty.
Medical assistant programs should be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). CAAHEP is highly regarded in the medical assistant field. It is recommended by the Medical Assisting Education Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistance Endowment (MAERB-AAMAE).
Professional Medical Assistant Trade School Organizations
AAMA
American Association of Medical Assistants
AAMA helps medical assistant professionals with education, certification, acknowledgement of credentials, networking, and advocacy for high-quality patient-centered health care. AAMA members receive discounts for CMA certification exams, a complimentary subscription to CMA Today magazine, reduced rates for continuing education credits, news on legislation that may affect organization members, and access to volunteer opportunities. New members can choose local chapters so they can make friends, network, and become more involved in their communities.
ARMA
American Registry of Medical Assistants
This national registry contains members in all 50 states. ARMA works to advance medical assistants’ status. When a medical assistant joins, they show their commitment to maintaining professionalism in their role. The overarching goal is for medical assistants to gain recognition of their professional status within the healthcare field. ARMA members represent a range of different areas within the allied health professions.
AHCAP
Association of Healthcare Administrative Professionals
AHCAP advances the professional development and excellence of healthcare administrative professionals through education, communication, recognition, and advocacy. Association members receive access to private forums, monthly news, education, professional development opportunities, and a membership directory. AHCAP also provides career assistance and networking events for members.
MSSMA
Massachusetts State Society of Medical Assistants
MSSMA is the AAMA state chapter for Massachusetts. State association members receive access to a job listing, search and help webpages, and other resources. Fall River Campus students can participate in the Fall River Chapter. Malden Campus students can take part in the Greater Boston Chapter.
AAHAM
American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
Members of this association take advantage of a resource center when they need educational opportunities, information, and advocacy. Professional development is the largest goal of AAHAM, with members gaining access to publications, professional certification, seminars, conferences, networking, and chances to increase their skills and knowledge.