What is a medical assistant?  Perhaps you’ve heard someone recommend this as a potential job, or inform you that they are going to school to be a medical assistant.  Perhaps you have wondered just what this position is, what it entails, how to become one, and what kind of money can be made as a medical assistant.

So what is a medical assistant?  When you go to a clinic, physician’s office, or even just the dentist, you run into certified medical assistants (CMA’s) all the time.  A CMA is typically responsible for many different types of duties in a clinic.  Many of them are clerical duties, much like that of a secretary.  A CMA will answer the phone, schedule appointments, update charts, work with insurance companies, and handle admissions to hospitals.

However, it’s not just clerical work.  CMA’s also perform duties to directly assist the physician.  They may administer medication, authorize refills of drug prescriptions, prepare patients for X-rays, take ECG’s draw blood, and take basic vital signs.  These functions provide an extremely valuable service to a physician, as they enable the physician to see more patients and to spend his time more wisely.

What is a medical assistant’s salary?  As of January 2011, the median salary for a medical assistant is 29,631.  That salary, however is dependent on a number of factors.  Typically, a CMA will make somewhere between 25k and 35k per year.

What accounts for the differences in pay?  Much has to do with location and experience.  For someone new in the field, however, training plays a large part.  A person with no schooling and no training will not likely be able to demand a salary near the median. 

So what kind of training is needed to become a medical assistant?  For the most part, there are two different programs.  First, you can get a 1 year program, resulting in a certification which more and more clinics are requiring.  This is the minimal recommended training that should be done.

Second, you can get a 2 year associates degree as well.  The credits used to earn this degree can often be applied towards bachelors degrees as well, so make sure and check into this when you are deciding on a school.

Once you finish your schooling, you will have to pass an exam to get certified.  There are many types of exams, though the exam given by the AAMA is usually considered the gold standard.  Many clinics and physician offices require these certificates to even get an entry-level position, so without one, you may find it very difficult to get a job.

However, once you get through your schooling, you’ll find that your skills will be in demand, as there is never a shortage of clinics and doctor’s offices to work at.  You also won’t be tied down to any one location, as everyone needs health care!  It truly is a career path that can last a lifetime. 

So….

What is a medical assistant?  It is an entry-level job into the highly lucrative medical field that you can use as a springboard to other positions in either medical administration or the nursing fields.  The medical industry is recession proof and is growing fast, and this is a great way to get started!