What education and training are required to become a medical assistant?

Answer 1

Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1-year or 2-year programs.

Education and training. Postsecondary medical assisting programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Programs usually last either 1 year and result in a certificate or diploma, or 2 years and result in an associate degree. Courses cover anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students learn laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. They study office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. There are various organizations that accredit medical assisting programs. Accredited programs often include an internship that provides practical experience in physicians' offices, hospitals, or other health care facilities.

Formal training in medical assisting, while generally preferred, is not always required. Some medical assistants are trained on the job, although this practice is less common than in the past. Applicants usually need a high school diploma or the equivalent. Recommended high school courses include mathematics, health, Biology, typing, bookkeeping, computers, and office skills. Volunteer experience in the health care field also is helpful. Medical assistants who are trained on the job usually spend their first few months attending training sessions and working closely with more experienced workers.

Some States allow medical assistants to perform more advanced procedures, such as giving injections, after passing a test or taking a course.

Certification and other qualifications. Employers prefer to hire experienced workers or those who are certified. Although not required, certification indicates that a medical assistant meets certain standards of competence. There are various associations-some listed in the sources of information below-that award certification credentials to medical assistants, and the certification process varies. It also is possible to become certified in a specialty, such as podiatry, optometry, or ophthalmology.

Medical assistants deal with the public; therefore, they must be neat and well groomed and have a courteous, pleasant manner and they must be able to put patients at ease and explain physicians' instructions. They must respect the confidential nature of medical information. Clinical duties require a reasonable level of manual dexterity and visual acuity.

Advancement. Medical assistants may advance to other occupations through experience or additional training. For example, some may go on to teach medical assisting, and others pursue additional education to become nurses or other health care workers. Administrative medical assistants may advance to office manager, or qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations.

For the source and more detailed information concerning this subject, click on the related links section indicated below.

Many medical assistants complete one to two-year programs, culminating in a certificate or associate's degree. Formal training is generally preferred but not always required, and all medical assistants must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Volunteer experience in the health care field provides informal training that may prove valuable in the hiring process.

Typical coursework for medical assistants includes training in lab techniques, clinical procedures, medical terminology, and medical office procedures. Students must have a facility with medical terminology along with interpersonal skills in dealing with patients.

Medical assistants earned mean annual wages of $28,270 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. State government facilities were the highest paying employer, with medical assistants earning annual mean wages of $36,430.

Answer 2

Go to a comminity college or a vocational school. The program will take you about 6 months. There is a lot of science for a medical assistant.

Some of the courses are:

• anatomy
• physiology
• medical terminology
• pharmacology
• patient care
• medical procedures

plus administrative subjects, like:

• bookkeeping
• transcription
• insurance processing