Are Certified Medical Assistants Preferred?

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

Call it the Medical Catch-22! Year after year new medical assistant school graduates enter the job market only to discover how highly competitive the job market has become! Most employers are seeking medical assistants with either 1-2 years of experience, or reliable documentation of their skills. But how can you get experience if no one wants to hire you? This is where your certifications open doors that otherwise would remain closed.

YOUR CERTIFICATIONS!

   or... 

It's all about the UNSUNG hero of medical offices, clinics, and hospitals: the MEDICAL ASSISTANT! 

Although most doctors and facility managers understand that medical assistants are expertly trained and well prepared for the job they still want some form of proof of their knowledge and skills as an assurance of the applicant's qualifications. This is where medical assistant certifications come into play. The NHA Self Study Certification Program is an opportunity for presently working medical assistants to demonstrate that they are just as proficient in their field as those who graduated from a formal vocational training program. This way they can, too, show that they are just as knowledgeable and dedicated to their profession based on continuous employment and experience on the job.

"I Graduated from an Accredited School - Am I Certified Now?"

No, just graduating from an accredited school doesn't make you a certified professional! Certification is NOT automatic just because you have graduated and received your diploma. Your medical assistant CERTIFICATION plays an important role! To get certified in the medical assistant discipline you must have graduated from a CAAHEP, or ABHES accredited vocational training program. Only this allows you to apply for the certification exam for which you will sit at the designated location and date. Both, the NHA and AMT offer national certification exams, meaning that a medical assistant who passed their written tests is certified to work in any state, including California.

What Fake Schools Don't Want You to Know!
Diploma Mills are Casting their Lure:

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) hundreds become victims of online scams that offer certificates and school diplomas for cash each year. Therefore, consumer beware of fake schools and diploma mills.

REMEMBER: A medical assistant "certificate of completion" from a simple online self-study course is not the same as a medical assistant diploma from a college and vocational training program that is recognized and approved by the U.S. Department of Education, or CHEA. Only these programs will lead to professional credentials and certifications employers want! Know the difference.

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