{loadposition hidden-adsense-block}Medical Assistant certification is an important step in your path to a rewarding career in the medical field.
Medical Assistant certification, while not always a requirement for employment, is one of the best ways to increase your ability to be hired, as well as your chances of earning the best salary possible. You’ll find that doctors, hospitals and even nursing homes are willing to provide better pay and benefits for those who have a Medical Assistant certificate. How do you go about getting certified? What are your options?
Choosing the right school for Medical Assistant certification
You’ll find that choosing the correct secondary school for your education is the first step in attaining Medical Assistant certification. How do you determine what schools are right for your needs? Obviously, you’ll need to take your specific wants and needs into account. For instance, do you want to attend a physical campus? If so, then you can choose from numerous vocational, technical and junior colleges.
What should you do if you currently have a job or a family? In these cases, distance learning is a great choice, as these schools let you work toward an online Medical Assistant certification at your own schedule. This can make certain that you are able to get the education you need while still maintaining your other obligations and responsibilities.
However, before you choose any Medical Assistant school, you will need to ensure that they are accredited with either CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) or ABHES (Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools). This applies to recent and past graduates, as well as those who have undergone re-certification classes for being a Certified Medical Assistant. Therefore, pay close attention that the school you choose is accredited and adheres to the regulations set up by the accrediting agencies.
Types of Medical Assistant certification
While you’ll find that federal law does not mandate that you are certified or licensed, most employers certainly prefer that you obtain your certification. You’ll find many different types of certification out there, including CMA certification (Certified Medical Assistant), RMA certification (Registered Medical Assistant) and several others. Some certifications will require that you have attended an accredited school for a single year, while others will require that you have attended for two years. That is because one year provides basic certification, while two years offers an associate’s degree.
Other resources
Learn about Medical Assistant certification with the American Association of Medical Assistants.
PremedGuide.com can help you find additional resources concerning Medical Assistant certification.
All Allied Health Schools also provides information about Medical Assistant certification.
Premed Guide