Medical Assistant Jobs Summary

Medical assistant jobs are one of the fastest growing occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There were more than 500,000 medical assistant jobs filled in the year 2010 and this number is expected to grow 34% by the year 2018. Medical assistants perform many different types of tasks, which include both clinical and administrative duties. They report directly to physicians, office managers, or other health practitioners. Some medical assistants specialize in a certain area under the department administrator’s supervision.

Education And Training

Anyone aspiring to become a medical assistant has two options to choose from. They can either complete a one-year program to get a certificate or they can complete a two-year associate’s degree program from a school. Although formal training is not always required, there are more job opportunities waiting for those who have obtained formal education and training. The coursework for medical assistants includes clinical procedures, medical terminology, medical office procedures, medical billing, math and science, and first aid.

Certification

After the program is completed, candidates will then have to take a certification exam to become a CMA (certified medical assistant). There are many professional bodies that administer this exam. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Association of Medical Technologists (AMT) are the two most known organizations. However, the AAMA has the exclusive right to label passers of their exam a CMA. Those individuals who pass the exam administered by the AMT are labeled RMAs (registered medical assistants). There is no difference between the two when it comes to knowledge and level of skill. On the other hand, some medical offices that are affiliated with AAMA consider a RMA applicant to be unqualified because he or she is not a CMA. This is because of the competition between the two organizations. What a RMA can do to improve their chances of getting hired is put the term “medical assistant” in small letters next to their name on their resume or they can secure a letter from the AMT confirming that a RMA is equivalent to a CMA.

Duties

Medical assistant jobs deal with a variety of tasks. For the administrative part, medical assistants file and update the patients’ medical records, arrange laboratory services and hospital admissions, fill out insurance forms, schedule appointments, and they handle billing and bookkeeping. They also answer telephones and greet patients. Their clinical duties include recording vital signs, preparing patients for exams, assisting physicians during examinations, explaining treatment procedures to patients, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, disposing contaminated supplies, and sterilizing medical instruments.

Work Schedule

The typical work schedule for medical assistant jobs is 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Additional hours may be required for certain offices that remain open on nights and/or weekends.

Salary

A medical assistant’s salary varies, depending on many factors such as the healthcare facility or office that they work in, the location of the facility, their experience in the field, plus many more. The average annual salary is from $28,000 to $29,000. The highest paid medical assistants earn around $40,000. The lowest paid medical assistants earn at least $20,000.