Medical Assistant Schools

The health care industry is full of exciting career paths and choices that bring challenges and opportunities to compassionate individuals who desire to improve the health and wellness of people. Finding the right career path takes investigation, through education, training, and career assessment, of the field that best suits the individual. The medical assistant field is one of those challenging yet rewarding fields that offer those serving both administrative and clinical exposure to a medical environment. Schooling and specialized training is required from an accredited institution but once the medical assistant programs have been completed and students have graduated, employment in a medical setting can be achieved successfully.

Medical assistants typically perform both administrative and clinical duties that keep the physician’s office or medical facility running smoothly. Typical clinical duties of a medical assistant include the preparation of patient examinations, recording vital signs, and gathering medical histories from patients. The clinical duties vary from state to state, depending on the laws that govern medical assistants. Most medical assistant programs offered in each state clearly specify and train students to be able to operate properly under state law. Administrative duties may include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, billing, answering phones, and routine office tasks.

Once a student graduates from one of the many medical assistant schools in the country, specific skills have been obtained to enable students to enter the workforce as a medical assistant. Skills needed for a successful career as a medical assistant include laboratory techniques, pharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, first aid and CPR, medication administration, and routine diagnostic procedures. These skills are taught in school as well as a variety of other courses that may be required by such medical assistant programs. Class work and studies may include anatomy, physiology, insurance processing, recordkeeping, transcription, and even keyboarding.

The career path of a medical assistant can vary depending on the choices and desires of the individual. With a little additional training from one of the medical assistant schools, some medical assistants go on to teach medical assisting to enrolled students. Teaching medical assistant programs to students can be a rewarding career choice. Some medical assistants go on to pursue a nursing degree or licensing in another health care field. Whatever desires the individual may have regarding their career path, the door is open in this lucrative field.

Medical assistant programs open the door to opportunity. Successful graduates enter into a career that provides an opportunity for continued education while satisfying the need and desire to serve. The job outlook for medical assistants is good, and the employment rate is expected to grow due to the increasing demands and need for health care services.

• Preparing patient examinations
• Recording vital signs
• Gathering medical histories from patients

Most medical assistant programs offered in each state clearly specify and train students to be able to operate properly under state law. Administrative duties may include:

• Greeting patients
• Scheduling appointments
• Billing
• Answering phones
• Routine office tasks

Once a student graduates from one of the many medical assistant schools in the country, specific skills have been obtained to enable students to enter the workforce as a medical assistant. Skills needed for a successful career as a medical assistant include laboratory techniques, pharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, first aid and CPR, medication administration, and routine diagnostic procedures. These skills are taught in school as well as a variety of other courses that may be required by such medical assistant programs. Class work and studies may include anatomy, physiology, insurance processing, recordkeeping, transcription, and even keyboarding.

The career path of a medical assistant can vary depending on the choices and desires of the individual. With a little additional training from one of the medical assistant schools, some medical assistants go on to teach medical assisting to enrolled students. Teaching medical assistant programs to students can be a rewarding career choice. Some medical assistants go on to pursue a nursing degree or licensing in another health care field. Whatever desires the individual may have regarding their career path, the door is open in this lucrative field.

Medical assistant programs open the door to opportunity. Successful graduates enter into a career that provides an opportunity for continued education while satisfying the need and desire to serve. The job outlook for medical assistants is good, and the employment rate is expected to grow due to the increasing demands and need for health care services.

Average Costs

Many educational institutions provide medical assistant training, including universities, community colleges, trade schools, and online training programs. The costs will vary depending on the type of school that is chosen.

Universities

Medical assistant programs at universities often have the highest cost. The University of Alaska at Anchorage is one example offers an Associate's of Applied Science degree in medical assisting. The degree requires 60 credit hours of university level courses. Resident tuition is $134 per credit hour, making the total tuition cost over $8,000. Other student fees for a full-time student run $280 per semester, over $1,000 in total. Textbooks can average between $50 and $100 per book, adding another $1,000 or more to the education cost.

Trade Schools

Trade schools are also a more affordable option for those seeking a medical assistant school education. Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia offers a diploma program in medical assisting. This program requires the completion of eighty-three credits. A full time student will pay $565 per quarter for twelve or more credits. If the program is completed in six quarters, the total tuition would run nearly $3,400. Other fees are much lower than at a university, and textbook fees are similar to that of a university.

Online

Online medical assistant schools may save the student money. Their big draw is that they are more convenient. Some online programs are certificate programs and only last a few weeks. These programs offer a certificate rather than a degree. Be careful when signing up for online programs, because many of them are not professionally certified. Make sure that a school is certified by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, before signing up with an online medical assistant school.

Certification

Career opportunities are much greater and salaries much higher for those with the formal medical assisting degree rather than a certificate alone. After graduating with a degree a prospective medical assistant will need to complete an externship. The final step for the soon-to-be medical assistant is the completion of a professional examination. This exam is called the Certified Medical Assistant Certification Exam, and is offered by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants. The exam fee ranges from $125 to $250.

Average costs of medical assisting schools vary, but the cost should not be the primary factor in deciding which school to attend. Look for an accredited medical assisting program, complete an externship, and pass the Certified Medical Assistant Certification Exam. The medical assisting field is large and growing. Career satisfaction and salary are bound to be higher for those who spend the necessary time and money on the best career preparation.