As the job market continues to improve, more people are interested in becoming medical assistants. A career as an M.A. offers countless opportunities for professional growth and excellent job security in an industry that will always need trained assistants to help doctors take care of patients.
The field of medicine is evolving at lightning speed, with new treatments and technologies emerging all the time; this means that there is no shortage of advancements in medical science for a certified M.A to study and learn about, adding further value to a resume and making it easier to adapt to future changes in the industry. Despite being so vastly different from one another, hospitals have many things in common: they have similar hierarchical structures with administrators at the top who delegate tasks down through various departments such as finance, marketing, and human resources; they all have some sort of IT department that deals with their computer systems and medical software; and of course there is always a need for more doctors and nurses.
Becoming a Medical Assistant is not an easy task. If you want to know how to become a medical assistant, here are some questions that we think would help clarify some of the most common doubts that might come your way, something that we did with the help of MedAssistantEdu:
1. What are the educational requirements to become a medical assistant?
You have to go through an AAMA accredited program, which would last for about 9 months or so depending on your school’s schedule. The course includes Medical Terminology, Phlebotomy, Anatomy & Physiology, Pharmacology and more!
2. Can I work as a medical assistant without education?
Yes, you can, but it is illegal in some states like California. To work as a medical assistant, you need certification from either AAMA or AMT ( the American Medical Technologists Association ).
3. What courses should I take to become a medical assistant?
You would need courses such as anatomy and physiology (study of the body), medical terminology (prefixes, suffixes and combining forms used in medicine), general microbiology (the branch of biology that deals with microorganisms), client service skills (in medical office front desk duties), how to work as a team member and much more!
4. How much will I earn as a medical assistant?
After completing your education, you would typically start earning $15-20 per hour. Entry-level career positions would begin at $20-25 per hour.
5. How long does it take to become a medical assistant?
After you graduate from your program, you need to apply for state certification, which takes around two months, then an interview process starts and can take up to 3 weeks or so. After passing your interview, you will receive the credentials from working as a medical assistant.
6. What are some skills needed to be a great medical assistant?
You need good communication skills, leadership qualities, attention to detail and much more!
7. How do I find accredited programs that will allow me to work as a medical assistant?
You need to go through the various accrediting agencies and see which programs they accredited. AAMA is one of those agencies that can help you out!
8. How do I find online courses about becoming a medical assistant?
You need to visit the American Career College website for this type of information.
9. What steps should I take to find a job as a medical assistant?
After completing your education and passing the necessary exams, you need to apply for jobs that interest you. Browse through job websites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed and Craigslist!
10. How can I become a medical assistant without going to school?
In order to be able to work as a medical assistant in some states, you need certification . You can’t! It’s always better to go through an accredited program, though.
We hope this helps! Good luck on your journey!
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