How to Become a Certified Medical Assistant? an overview

In the United States, medical assistants work in outpatient care centers, urgent care facilities, and clinics. They are employed in private and public hospitals, inpatient and outpatient facilities, administrative and clinical settings, or doctors’ offices. According to a recent study, the employment of medical assistants is expected to increase by 19%. This ratio is much higher than the average for all professions by the end of 2022.

The Stellar Career College medical assisting program helps the medical assistants to excel in this field. This program will provide the skillset to work at an entry-level position at a medical facility. The students will learn the skills to assist the nurses and physicians, to give injections, and emergency procedures, including EKG rhythm recognition. The program trains the students to perform clinical as well as administrative functions such skills as telephone techniques, written communications, scheduling, referrals, ordering supplies, controlling inventory, and maintaining records.

A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has completed an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) and has also passed the NCLEX-RN certification exam.

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a person who assists patients with healthcare needs and cares for a patient who is ill or recovering from a surgery or disease. CNA works under a registered nurse, who assigns all the duties to the CNA.

Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks in clinics, offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare-related departments. They follow the orders of the physician and can not perform any actions without his consent. However, the nurse can write patient care plans without the doctor's approval. Medical assistants are provided with in-depth administrative training, whereas the nurses are not.

Both CNA and MA perform the duty of patient care, such as daily activities, including taking care of hygiene, feeding, wound care, and preparing patients for diagnostic testing, etc. CNAs have to report to the RN, whereas medical assistants report to the physician.

Usually, a certificate or postsecondary education is enough to become a medical assistant. A high school diploma and on-the-job training are also equally adequate for enrollment as a medical assistant.

Medical assistant courses are available in certificates, diplomas, or associate's degree programs, and the course duration varies between 10 months to 2 years. A national certificate is not mandatory, but getting certification opens the doors of better career options and growth. Furthermore, some states require a nationally recognized credential. Medical assistants are often asked to undergo training to perform specific duties depending on employer or state requirements. Their requirements include at least 10 clock hours of training and performing at least 10 of each type of injections or skin test under close supervision. A certified medical assistant is considered to be an expert in his job.

The salary range depends on the state you are working at and factors like experience, education, certifications, and additional skills. According to the bureau of labor statistics (BLS), medical assistants' salary range varies between $32,540 and $43,870.