There are some employers that train their own medical assistants, but this practice is becoming more and more rare. According to the National Association of Legal Assistant (NALA), formal training is not a requirement to work in this field. But it helps. Your job prospects are much better if you have a diploma, a certificate, or an associate’s degree in medical assisting.

Preparing for Medical Assistant Training

Whether your employer trains you or you attend medical assistant school, you will still need a high school diploma or a GED.

High school is an excellent place to prepare for medical assistant training. Taking courses such as biology, mathematics, anatomy, office procedures, typing, and bookkeeping will give you an idea of what to expect when you enroll in medical assistant training.

Who Offers Medical Assistant Training?

Medical assistant training is offered at junior and community colleges, postsecondary vocational schools, and vocational high schools. These schools, however, differ as to what types of degree programs that they offer.

Certificate, Diploma, or Associate’s Degree?

You can earn a certificate or a diploma degree in medical assisting in as little as one year. This is a good option if you want a program that focuses totally on medical assisting. There are no extraneous, or liberal arts, courses in certificate or diploma medical assistant training. Obtaining these degrees are also cheaper than a 2-year associate degree because their program time is much shorter.

But…

An associate’s degree might be your best choice.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, getting an associate’s degree is the most popular option for those wishing to pursue medical assisting careers.

There are a couple of reasons for this.

We live in time, and a country, that stresses education. In today’s society, the more education that you have, the better are your chances of career aptitude and success. Prospective employers are well aware of this fact, and they give preference to those with higher degrees. Having an associate’s degree in medical assisting may give you a big advantage over those who have diploma or certificate degrees.

Another benefit to an associate’s degree is its educational portability. Suppose that you decide that you would like to change, or expand, your career at a later point. Your new career focus, however, requires a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. No problem. Most of the credits that you earned for your associate’s degree (from an accredited school) can be applied toward these higher degrees.

What Kind Of Training Do You Need?

Medical assisting is a flexible occupation that can require very diverse skills. Some medical assistants perform purely clerical functions such as answering the phones, greeting customers, distributing the mail, and typing. Others perform administrative functions vital to the medical field such as submitting insurance claims, scheduling laboratory services, updating patient records, and arranging hospital admissions.

The duties of clinical medical assistants can vary quite a bit depending upon state laws. Some of the tasks that clinical medical technicians perform include assisting with medical examinations, calculating and recording vital signs, taking medical histories, preparing patients for surgeries, and administering electrocardiograms. They may also collect laboratory specimens, sterilize medical instruments, draw blood, telephone prescriptions to pharmacies, instruct patients on proper usage of their medications, and remove sutures.

A medical assistant’s training, therefore, reflects the variety of jobs that you may be called upon to perform.

Medical assistant training includes courses in anatomy, medical terminology, first aid, health, and pharmaceutical procedures to help prepare you for the clinical requirements of your employer. But the training also includes courses on office procedures, medical law, patient relations, and medical ethics to prepare you for the administrative requirements of your employer. Many programs also require you to work as an intern in a medical facility so that you can gain real world experience as a medical assistant.