How to Become a Medical Assistant
Medical Assistant Career Overview
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the health care sector to be the fastest growing industry over the next ten years. Medical assisting is the fastest growing career in the health care sector. People are living longer, the population is growing at a very rapid pace resulting in higher demand for health care services for the young and old alike.
Medical assisting careers have become so popular due to the short amount of time it takes to gain the education and certification needed to begin a well paying medical assistant job in a physician practice or hospital setting. Roughly 60% of medical assistants, also known as MAs, work in a physician practice setting while the remaining 40% are in specialty clinics, hospital settings, cancer and dialysis care clinics, blood banks, school offices, rehabilitation, correctional facilities and more.
A relatively new area for Medical assistants is in health spas or medical practices where Botox injections and other cosmetic procedures are being administered. The pay in these practices is very good because of the specialty setting and much of the business is cash. The BLS forecasts that the best opportunities for medical assistants will be for those that are formally trained in vocational programs lasting 6 months to a year or those in 2 year programs resulting in an associate degree. Those medical Assistants holding a national certification in medical assisting will also be more competitive for the better paying positions. Click here to find an accredited Medical Assisting school near you or an online program. Learn more about Medical Assistant Schools and the various types of programs they offer before you make a decision. Many medical assistants advance their careers with further education and move into office manager roles as well as nursing positions. In fact, many individuals have first become Medical Assistants before they become an RN.
Medical Assistant Job Description
The job description and duties for medical assistants vary depending on office size and location. In a smaller or more rural office a medical assistant may take responsibility for the front office administrative tasks as well as the back office clinical tasks, such as drawing blood, taking vitals, rooming patients, and administering injections. In a larger practice the front office and back office are divided and the medical assistant role will primarily cover the clinical aspect of the practice. Speaking of clinical duties for medical assistants, while medical assistants are in school they are trained in phlebotomy, EKG and X-ray procedures. A number of states are requiring that medical assistants have a specific license to perform phlebotomy, EKG and X-rays.
Medical Assistant Salaries
The BLS reported median annual salaries for medical assistants in May, 2004. One can expect these salaries to be a bit higher due to the growth of the health care industry and the rising demand for medical assistants across the country in more recent years. BLS Medical Assistant Salaries:
Medical Assistants in Outpatient Centers $25360
Medical Assistants in General and Surgical Hospitals $25,160
Medical Assistants in Physician Offices $24,930.
A recent job posting (June, 2009) in Santa Ana, CA stated pay of $12.50 to $15.00 an hour and required at least one year of work experience. Salary.com reports that the median annual salary for medical assistants in the United States is $27,525. According to payscale.com, California has the highest median annual salary for medical assistants ($31,708) followed closely by New York ($29,461). According to indeed.com, as of June 7, 2007, the average annual medical assistant salary in the United States was $32,000. This should give you a ballpark figure of what salary to expect as a medical assistant. These numbers will vary depending on size and location of facility as well as your years of experience and Medical Assistant Certification status.
The first step to take toward a medical assisting career is to choose an accredited medical assistant program. Kaplan University and Herzing University are emerging as leaders in the medical assistant training field. Each are well respected and well known in the health care community. Request information from the medical assisting programs offered at these schools today.
Schools Offering Online Medical Assistant Programs
Harrison College
Programs: Medical Assistant - Associate's (Online), Medical Office Assistant - Certificate (Online)
Herzing University
Programs: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Services (Online), Diploma in Medical Assisting Services (Online)
Herzing University
Programs: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Services, Diploma in Medical Assisting Services
Keiser University
Programs: Associate of Science - Medical Assistant, Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
Medical Assistant Schools By State
Alabama
Remington College
Campus: Mobile
Programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Birmingham
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Arizona
Arizona College of Allied Health
Campus: Glendale
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - Associate's
For more information about graduation and placement rates, the median debt of students
who complete the program, and other important information, please click
here.
Sanford-Brown College
Campus: Phoenix
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant Bilingual (Spanish/English)
Brown Mackie College
Program: Associate's - Medical Assisting
Arkansas
Remington College
Campus: Little Rock
Programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG
California
Carrington College California
Campuses: San Leandro | Pleasant Hill | Antioch | Citrus Heights | Sacramento | San Jose | Emeryville | Pomona | Stockton
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Certificate
Everest College
Campuses: Hayward | Anaheim | Gardena | Reseda | West Los Angeles | San Jose North | Torrance | Alhambra | San Bernardino | San Francisco | Santa Ana | City of Industry | Ontario
Program: Medical Assistant
Heald College
Campuses: San Francisco | Modesto | Rancho Cordova - Sacramento | Fresno | Salinas | Stockton | Concord | Roseville - Sacramento | Hayward | San Jose
Programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Diploma
San Joaquin Valley College
Campuses: Fresno | Bakersfield | Visalia | Modesto | Hesperia | Temecula
Programs: Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting - Associate's, Clinical Medical Assisting - Associate's, Clinical Medical Assisting - Certificate
Milan Institute
Campuses: Visalia | Clovis | Indio
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assisting
Kaplan College
Campuses: Stockton | Bakersfield | Riverside | Sacramento | Fresno | San Diego | Palm Springs
Program: Medical Assistant - Diploma
Concorde Career College
Campuses: San Bernardino | San Diego | Garden Grove | North Hollywood
Program: Medical Assistant
Colorado
Everest College
Campuses: Denver South (Aurora) | Colorado Springs | Denver North (Thornton)
Program: Medical Assistant
Connecticut
Sanford-Brown College
Campus: Farmington
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assisting
Branford Hall Career Institute
Campuses: Southington | Branford | Windsor
Programs: Medical Assistant, Professional Medical Assistant
Delaware
Harris School of Business
Campuses: Dover | Wilmington
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Professional Medical Assistant - Diploma
Florida
Sanford-Brown Institute
Campuses: Jacksonville | Orlando | Ft. Lauderdale
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant Spanish Version, Diploma - Medical Assistant Weekend Spanish Version
Everest University
Campuses: Melbourne | Largo | North Orlando | Pompano Beach | Brandon | South Orlando | Tampa | Orange Park | Jacksonville | Lakeland
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant (AS)
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Miami
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Keiser Career College
Campuses: New Port Richey | Jacksonville | Saint Petersburg | Greenacres | Miami Lakes
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Diploma
Keiser University
Campuses: Pembroke Pines | Tallahassee | Jacksonville | Melbourne | Fort Lauderdale | West Palm Beach | Sarasota | Lakeland | Port St. Lucie | Daytona Beach | Fort Myers | Miami | Tampa | Orlando
Program: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
City College
Campuses: Fort Lauderdale | Miami | Altamonte Springs | Gainesville | Hollywood
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate of Science in Allied Health
Daytona College
Campus: Ormond Beach
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting and X-Ray - Diploma
Southwest Florida College
Campuses: Port Charlotte | Fort Myers | Tampa
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Concorde Career Institute
Campuses: Jacksonville | Miramar | Orlando | Tampa
Program: Medical Assistant
Remington College
Campus: Tampa
Programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG
Everest Institute
Campuses: Fort Lauderdale | Hialeah | Kendall | North Miami
Program: Diploma - Medical Assistant
ATA Career Education
Campus: Spring Hill
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Office Assistant - Diploma
Florida Technical College
Campuses: Kissimmee | Lakeland | Orlando | DeLand | Pembroke Pines
Programs: Medical Assistant - Associate of Science, Medical Assistant Technician - Diploma
Florida Career College
Campuses: Boynton Beach | Brandon | Clearwater | Hialeah | Jacksonville | Kendall | Lauderdale Lakes | Margate | Miami | Pembroke Pines | West Palm Beach
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant Technician
Georgia
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Atlanta
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Everest Institute
Campuses: Decatur | Jonesboro | Marietta | Norcross
Program: Diploma - Medical Assistant
Miller-Motte Technical Colleges
Campuses: Columbus | Macon | Augusta
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Office Assistant - Certificate
Hawaii
Heald College
Campus: Honolulu
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Diploma
Idaho
Carrington College
Campus: Boise
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Certificate
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Boise
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Milan Institute
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assisting
Illinois
Sanford-Brown College
Campuses: Hillside | Tinley Park | Skokie | Collinsville
Programs: Certificate - Medical Assistant (Day), Certificate - Medical Assistant (Evening), Certificate - Medical Assistant Bilingual (Spanish/English), Certificate - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Everest College
Campuses: Skokie | Melrose Park | Bedford Park | North Aurora | Merrionette Park | Burr Ridge
Program: Medical Assistant
Indiana
Everest College
Campus: Merrillville
Programs: Diploma - Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Brown Mackie College
Campuses: Indianapolis | Merrillville | Michigan City | South Bend | Ft. Wayne
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assistant
Iowa
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Quad Cities
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Kaplan University
Campuses: Davenport | Mason City | Cedar Falls | Cedar Rapids | Council Bluffs | Des Moines
Program: AAS - Medical Assisting
Kansas
Wright Career College
Campuses: Overland Park | Wichita
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Brown Mackie College
Campuses: Salina | Kansas City
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Kentucky
ATA College
Campus: Louisville
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Office Assistant - Diploma
Brown Mackie College
Campuses: Northern Kentucky | Hopkinsville | Louisville
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Louisiana
Herzing University
Campus: New Orleans
Programs: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting Services, Diploma in Medical Assisting
Remington College
Campuses: Lafayette | Baton Rouge | Shreveport
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting
Career Technical College
Campus: Monroe
Programs: Associate's in Medical Assisting, Diploma in Medical Office Assistant
Maine
Maryland
Kaplan University
Campus: Hagerstown
Programs: AAS - Medical Assisting, Medical Assistant - Certificate
TESST College of Technology
Campuses: Towson | Beltsville
Programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant - Certificate
Massachusetts
Sanford-Brown College
Campus: Boston
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assisting
Branford Hall Career Institute
Campus: Springfield
Program: Professional Medical Assistant - Diploma
Salter College
Campuses: West Boylston | Chicopee
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Certificate
Salter School
Campuses: New Bedford | Malden | Tewksbury | Fall River
Program: Professional Medical Assistant
Michigan
Sanford-Brown College
Campuses: Grand Rapids | Dearborn
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Everest Institute
Campuses: Dearborn | Detroit | Grand Rapids | Kalamazoo | Southfield
Program: Diploma - Medical Assistant
Minnesota
Globe University
Campuses: Woodbury | Blaine | Brooklyn Center | Elk River | Lakeville | Moorhead | Plymouth | Richfield / Bloomington | Rochester | Shakopee | St. Cloud
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Herzing University
Campus: Minneapolis
Program: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting Services
Mississippi
Missouri
Missouri College
Campus: Brentwood
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Everest College
Campuses: Springfield | Saint Louis | Kansas
Programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Brown Mackie College
Campus: St. Louis
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assistant
Concorde Career College
Campus: Kansas City
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - (AAS)
Nebraska
Omaha School of Massage and Healthcare of Herzing University
Campus: Omaha
Programs: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Services, Diploma in Medical Assisting Services
Nevada
Carrington College
Campus: Reno
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Certificate
Milan Institute
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant, Administrative Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting
Kaplan College
Campus: Las Vegas
Programs: Medical Assistant, X-Ray Technician/Back Office Medical Assistant - Diploma
New Hampshire
Hesser College
Campuses: Salem | Concord | Manchester | Nashua | Portsmouth
Programs: Medical Assistant - Associate's, Medical Assistant - Diploma
New Jersey
HoHoKus
Campuses: Hackensack | Nutley
Programs: Medical Assistant - Certificate (Day), Medical Assistant - Certificate (Evening), Medical Assistant/Patient Care Technician - Diploma (Day), Medical Assistant/Patient Care Technician - Diploma (Evening), Medical Assistant/Pharmacy Technician - Diploma (Day), Medical Assistant/Pharmacy Technician - Diploma (Evening), Medical Assisting with Vascular Sonography - Diploma (Day), Medical Assisting with Vascular Sonography - Diploma (Evening)
Harris School of Business
Campuses: Voorhees | Cherry Hill | Linwood
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Professional Medical Assistant - Diploma
New Mexico
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Albuquerque
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
New York
Sanford-Brown Institute
Campuses: Garden City | New York | Melville
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assistant
Elmira Business Institute
Programs: Certificate - Medical Office Assistant, Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Certificate
New York School for Medical and Dental Assistants
Campus: Long Island City
Program: Medical Assistant - Certificate
Hunter Business School
Program: Diploma - Medical Assistant
North Carolina
Miller-Motte College
Campuses: Greenville | Jacksonville | Wilmington | Raleigh | Fayetteville | Cary
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Office Assistant - Diploma
Ohio
Brown Mackie College
Campuses: Findlay | North Canton | Akron | Cincinnati
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Herzing University
Campuses: Toledo | Akron Institute
Programs: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting Services, Diploma in Medical Assisting Services
Kaplan College
Campuses: Cincinnati | Columbus
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - Associate's
Remington College
Campuses: Cleveland | Cleveland West (North Olmstead)
Programs: Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG
Miami-Jacobs Career College
Campuses: Dayton | Columbus | Springboro | Troy | Sharonville | Cleveland
Program: Associate's - Medical Assisting
Oklahoma
Wright Career College
Campuses: Oklahoma City | Tulsa
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Brown Mackie College
Campuses: Tulsa | Oklahoma City
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Oregon
Carrington College
Campus: Portland
Programs: Medical Assistant - Includes Limited X-ray, Medical Assisting - Certificate
Everest College
Campus: Portland
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant - Diploma, Diploma - Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant
Heald College
Campus: Portland
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Diploma
Pioneer Pacific College
Campuses: Health Career Institute | Clackamas | Springfield
Programs: Medical Assisting - Associate's, Medical Assisting - Diploma, Medical Assisting with Limited X-Ray - Associate's, Medical Assisting with Limited X-Ray - Diploma
Pennsylvania
Sanford-Brown Institute
Campuses: Pittsburgh | Wilkins Township | Trevose
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assistant, Associate's - Medical Assistant Specialist, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Kaplan Career Institute
Campuses: Pittsburgh | Broomall | Franklin Mills Campus
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - Associate's
Laurel Technical Institute
Program: Medical Assistant - Associate's
YTI Career Institute
Campuses: Altoona Campus | Capital Region Campus
Program: Medical Assistant - (AST)
Berks Technical Institute
Campus: Wyomissing
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate in Specialized Business
McCann School of Business & Technology
Campuses: Pottsville | Dickson City | Hazleton | Sunbury | Carlisle | Allentown | Wilkes-Barre
Programs: Clinical Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - Associate in Specialized Business, Medical Office Assistant - Diploma
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Brown Mackie College
Campus: Greenville
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assistant
Miller-Motte Technical Colleges
Campuses: Charleston | Myrtle Beach
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate's
South Dakota
Colorado Technical University
Campus: Sioux Falls
Program: Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
Tennessee
Concorde Career College
Campus: Memphis
Programs: Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assisting - (AAS)
Miller-Motte Technical Colleges
Campuses: Clarksville | Nashville | Chattanooga
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate's
Texas
Sanford-Brown College
Campuses: San Antonio | Houston | Northloop West
Programs: Certificate - Medical Assistant Bilingual (Spanish/English), Certificate - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Spanish Medical Assistant Specialist
Everest College
Campuses: Ft. Worth | Mid-Cities | Ft. Worth South | Dallas
Programs: Diploma - Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant - Associate's, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Hallmark College
Campus: San Antonio
Programs: Medical Assistant - Associate's, Medical Assistant - Certificate
Kaplan College
Campuses: San Antonio - Ingram | El Paso | Beaumont | Dallas | Fort Worth | Corpus Christi | Brownsville | San Antonio - San Pedro | Midland | Arlington | McAllen
Programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant (Clinical/Clerical) - Diploma, Medical Assistant - Diploma, Medical Assistant Clinical/Clerical
Texas School of Business
Campuses: Southwest Houston | East Houston | Friendswood
Program: Medical Assistant
Sanford-Brown Institute
Campus: Austin
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant (Weekend Spanish Version), Diploma - Medical Assistant Bilingual (Spanish/English)
Remington College
Campuses: Houston (Westchase) | Dallas (Garland) | Fort Worth | Houston North (Greenspoint) | Houston Southeast (Webster)
Programs: Diploma - Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting, Medical Assisting with X-Ray Tech (Limited Scope) and EKG
Everest Institute
Campuses: Austin | Bissonnet | Houston-Greenspoint | Houston-Hobby | San Antonio
Program: Diploma - Medical Assistant
Utah
Everest College
Campus: Salt Lake City
Programs: Diploma - Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant - Diploma
Broadview University
Campuses: Orem | Layton | West Jordan
Programs: AAS - Medical Assistant, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Virginia
Sanford-Brown College
Campus: Tysons Corner
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Certificate - Medical Assisting
Everest College
Campuses: Arlington | Newport News | Tyson's Corner | Chesapeake
Program: Medical Assistant
Stratford University
Campuses: Tysons Corner | Richmond (Short Pump) | Woodbridge
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate's
Miller-Motte Technical Colleges
Program: Medical Assisting - Associate's
Washington
Everest College
Campuses: Vancouver | Tacoma | Everett | Bremerton | Renton | Seattle
Programs: Administrative Medical Assistant - Diploma, Diploma - Administrative Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Sanford-Brown College
Campus: Milwaukee
Programs: Associate's - Medical Assisting, Diploma - Medical Assistant
Globe University
Campuses: Appleton | Eau Claire | Green Bay | La Crosse | Madison-East | Madison-West | Wausau
Program: Associate's - Medical Assistant