Working as a Medical Assistant

Are you a recent medical assistant school graduate or... 

• A medical assistant already working but not yet certified? 
• Does your diploma seem worthless without experience? 
• Do you have experience but no way to reliably document it? 

With the recent changes in the healthcare industry, job market, and economy everything has changed, including the way doctors hire. Whether it is for a permanent, or temporary position  — doctors are looking for medical assistants with experience and certifications.

   Most employers demand:
   "We want EXPERIENCE before we hire!"

But how can you get experience if no one wants to hire you? And how can you document your skills without experience? Call it a medical assistant's catch-22! You can't avoid it. Here is where your certifications come into play.

Your Certification is Important!

What are you waiting for? Aim for success! Success means progress. What if we told you that you might already qualify for the RMA medical assisting certification exam based on your vocational training, time on the job, or other certifications you already have... wouldn't you want to find out?

Your FREE medical assistant certification info kit is here. Get it now while it lasts!

Your free career info kit.

 

Is Your Goal to Advance in Your Medical Assistant Career?

Make no mistake about it! Doctors want their medical practice ran efficiently, safely, and productively. Their desire to hire experienced and certified medical assistants stems from their fear of errors and possible lawsuites, the need to protect their reputation, and in some cases, simply because their State Medical Board, or professional malpractice insurance carrier may require it.

The best and easiest way to stay abreast with what you can and cannot do in your role as a medical assistant is to remain well informed, participate in professional workshops and continuing education programs, and maintain your credentials. Credentials, which in essence are your certifications, are maintained by participating in professional continuing education programs.

Certification Avenues for Medical Assistants

Certification gives you recognized designations and verification of your qualifications in all areas of the medical assisting discipline and access to continuing education workshops, and credits. When applying for medical assistant jobs these credentials are very important because employers and recruiters are looking for them. Once certified, the credentials are nationally recognized and portable to all places you may live and work, as long as you keep your certification status active.

  "I Graduated from the Medical Assistant Program — Am I Certified Now?"
No, just graduating from an accredited medical assistant school doesn't make you a certified professional! Certification is NOT automatic just because you graduated and now have your medical assisting diploma. To get certified you must apply for a medical assistant certification exam and pass it. Only then will you receive your designation and can call yourself a certified professional. Some well respected professional certification sponsors also make their exams available to those who did NOT receive formal vocational training from a medical assistant school, but have several years of continuous experience working directly in the field instead.

 "I Didn't Go to a Medical Assistant School — Can I Still Get Certified?"
Yes, if you have at least 5 years experience as a medical assistant then you can apply for the RMA certification exam through AMT. This allows experienced medical assistants to demonstrate that they are just as knowledgeable and equally qualified as their formally trained counter parts, and gives them tangible proof of their knowledge in the medical assistant discipline.

 "Is it Illegal Work as a Medical Assistant Without Graduating?"
No. It may be perceived as improper, some may even think it is illegal to work as a medical assistant without having a medical assistant diploma. However, medical assistants in the USA are not required to hold a diploma from a medical assistant school. As a matter of fact, in most states they don't even have to have any formal vocational training to begin working as a medical assistant. The only requirement is that they have a high school diploma so they can be trained directly on the job.

 "Is My Certificate from an Online Medical Assistant Course Any Good?"
While your certificate from an online medical assistant program is certainly an achievement to be proud of, aspiring medical assistants must be aware of fake schools and diploma mills and realize that a medical assistant "certificate of completion" from a simple online self-study course is not the same as a medical assistant diploma from a vocational training program that is recognized and approved by the U. s. Department of Education, ABHES, or CAAHEP. So... do your research and know the difference!!! Otherwise, you might wind up with a piece of paper that is not worth your money and time spent. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) each year hundreds become victims of unrecognized programs and online scams offering certificates and diplomas that are not fulfilling their promise.

 "I Was Trained on the Job How Do I Know What I am Allowed to Do?"
As a medical assistant you can perform only those duties and skills that fall within your specific scope of practice. This may include strict rules when performing point of care testing procedures, administering medications, injections, x-rays, starting IV lines, other invasive procedures, and venipunctures