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Better Medical Assistant Jobs

By Lexi, BSN, RN, CCMA, PBT-C
Member- American Association of Medical Assistants

Bottom line: If medical assistants were to become licensed and governed by a board of state medical assistants the number of medical assistants flooding the market would decline, since the bar would instantly be set higher. As a result, jobs for medical assistants would increase and so would wages.

• Licensing in Healthcare
  
  Certain allied health professionals must be registered or licensed in their state to practice their skill, however, there are no licensing requirements for medical assistants.

Regulating the Medical Assistant Profession

I have had the pleasure of working with some excellent medical assistants, certified and non-certified alike. I also have had the displeasure of working with medical assistants who could not give a flip about mistakes made. And sadly, I hear on a daily basis from nurses how medical assistants do procedures they are not licensed to do. Let's change this! Wouldn't we, as serious minded professionals, rather work as and with other medical assistants who meet criteria set forth by a board that regulates the profession? Just becoming certified as a medical assistant does not ensure someone should be entitled to work with patients in a healthcare setting. Background checks are great, but if a medical assistant is fired for negligent care and there is no board to answer to it puts patients at risk and everybody who works with this person by association.

*by Lexi

Setting Yourself Apart

When my fellow medical assistants say they do not wish to be licensed, my brain says: "Ummmmm?".

If you asked me, I wouldn't go to an MD that did not have a license to practice, the same way I wouldn't want to be treated by a healthcare professional whose license had been suspended... And so, I cannot help but wonder why a MD office would hire a non-certified, non-licensed medical assistant. However, under the present system, I feel it is imperative that medical assistants who want to remain competitive, and desirable on the job market, at least get as many certifications as possible to set themselves apart from other medical assistants applying for the same positions.

Getting Involved! Here is How YOU Can Make a Difference and Change Your Future as a MA...

Get involved in your state chapter of medical assistants. Begin a letter writing campaign to make the changes that desperately are needed in our industry. The end result is better educated healthcare professionals, who possess credentials that are a desired part of the allied healthcare professional team. This equals jobs for those who are QUALIFIED and wages that meet their level of skill. Become more pro-active in your professional membership organizations, support your state's chapter for certified medical assistants, and partake in continuing education programs, and workshops. Last but not least, write letters to your state senator and congressman about the benefits of medical assistants being licensed and the benefits to the job market in the healthcare field.

*by Lexi

Re: Licensing for Medical Assistants

Ramona, BS, AD, CPNCC, CNMA of our Medical Assistant forum responds on Jan 12th, 2009 - 3:31 AM

"I, too, support licensing of medical assistants; however if we are to upgrade the profession, we need to make sure that we present only accurate information. I feel that comparing a CMA to an unlicensed contractor does a disservice to the medical assisting profession and what we are trying to accomplish. The ONLY difference between certification and licensing is that certification is granted by a "non-governmental" body and Licensing is granted by a "governmental body". Licensing is not better than certification; it is only better to those who think it is so. Just because we have not gotten to the point yet that a License is required for medical assisting, that does not mean that the states don't deem them worthy.