Find Your Medical Assisting Career
Medical Assistants play a vital role in the operation of a hospital or physician's office. They perform the minor clinical and administrative duties that make a medical facility run smoothly and successfully, ensuring the best treatment experience for both doctor and patient.
Medical Assisting is one of the nation's most in-demand professions, according to the US Labor Bureau. With the health care industry expanding rapidly, there has never been a better time to join this exciting field.
Medical Assistant training can be completed quickly at a career school or junior college. At EduSearch, we can help you find the right training program, whether you're looking for classroom-based learning, or online courses to suit your busy schedule.
To find Medical Assistant training near you, complete the School-Finder form to the right and browse though schools in your area. You can request more information from the ones that interest you, and as always, your information will be kept safe.
Medical Assistant Job Description
Medical Assistants' duties range from office administration to minor clinical tasks. They spend much of their time helping and working with people.
Administrative duties
Like other medical administrative roles, MAs handle medical records and insurance information, arrange for hospital admissions and lab work, and manage office communications. Other office duties may include greeting patients, setting appointments and handling bookkeeping and billing.
Clinical duties
The clinical side of Medical Assisting varies depending on state laws, but typically Medical Assistants take vital signs, prepare patients for examination, and assist the physician with procedures. Experienced MAs may draw blood, and some states allow MAs to perform injections.
To find Medical Assistant training near you,complete our School Finder form to the right and browse the list of qualified programs in your area.
Medical Assisting Training
Besides on-the-job training, Medical Assistants gain formal education in vocational schools or career colleges, where training is quick and affordable.
Some of the subjects taken by Medical Assisting students:
| Clinical | Administrative |
|---|---|
| anatomy | typing |
| physiology | transcription |
| medical terminology | recordkeeping |
| medical law | accounting |
| surgical instruments | insurance processing |
| lab safety | scheduling appointments |
After training, Medical Assistants pass an exam to become certified by an organization such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To be eligible for certification, the student must have graduated from a CAAHEP-accredited program. Thus, it is a good idea to ask schools about their accreditations before enrolling.
To find a Medical Assistant training program near you, complete the School Finder form to the right and request information from the schools that interest you.
Medical Assisting Salary Figures
Most Medical Assistants earn between $21,900 and $31,200 annually, according to the US Labor Bureau. The table below shows average salaries for the most common industries that employ medical assistants. Figures represent national averages, and salaries may vary by region.
Industry Average salary | |
| Medical surgical hospitals | $27,340 |
| Outpatient care centers | $26,840 |
| Offices of physicians | $26,620 |
| Offices of chiropractors | $22,940 |
| Offices of optometrists | $22,850 |
To find Medical Assisting schools in your area, complete the School Finder form to the right and browse schools in your area.
Medical Assistant Career Outlook
Medical Assistant employment is expected to grow an impressive 35% between 2006 and 2016, according to the US Labor Bureau. This growth is due to technological advancements in the medical field, as well as a growing population of elderly, which is dramatically increasing the demand for medical procedures.
The number of clinics operating in the US is also growing rapidly, creating need for formally trained assistants who can handle clinical and administrative duties. Fortunately, training programs are relatively short, and most MAs enter the field with a certificate or associate degree.
To find Medical Assisting training near you, complete the School Finder form to the right, browse the list of qualified schools in your area, and request information from the programs that interest you. There is no obligation, and you may request info from as many schools as you'd like.
