According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical assistants earn an aver年龄 salary of $43,350 每年($20.84 每小时).* As you earn more experience 和 gain more skills, 你的 earning opportunity will improve.

的 BLS also projects growing dem和 for medical assistants in coming years, predicting an 14% increase in employment 从 2022-2032. It’s a good time to get 你的 foot in the door 和 work towards 你的 new career.

发现 how much a medical assistant makes by state.

A career in medical assisting involves a diverse array of roles 和 responsibilities. Depending on the practice you work for 和 department you are in, 你的 normal everyday tasks can vary widely.

Potential tasks include (but not limited to):

• Answering the phone 和 greeting patients
• Informing physicians about patient concerns
• Scheduling appointments
• Gather patient information: contact info, insurance info, etc.
• Measuring patient vital signs
• Taking blood pressure, pulse 和 respirations
• Setting up exam rooms for procedures
• Visual 和 hearing tests
• Drawing blood
• Pregnancy tests
• Making patients comfortable during an appointment

No matter what’s required in 你的 day-to-day experience on the job, what ties everything together is 你的 professionalism, care for patients 和 attention to detail. 你的 resourcefulness will make you a valuable resource in a fast-paced healthcare environment.

Read more about a typical day in the life of a medical assistant 和 what you can expect after getting a job in the field.

While practical nurses (LPN) 和 medical assistants often perform similar tasks, there are a few key differences to be aware of, 包括:

• Educational requirements
• Aver年龄 salary
• Scope of practice
• Ongoing career opportunities
• Future outlook for jobs

Learn more about the difference between practical 护理 和 medical assisting 和 how to go 从 MA to LPN.

的 online medical assisting 程序 (both diploma & degree) feature three main components:

1. 在线 classes. Much of the coursework can be completed in the online component of the 程序.
2. 临床实验室. You will be required to complete two clinical courses 和 meet with a proctor outside of class to ensure you are mastering key medical assisting skills.
3. 校外实习. Over an eight-week period during 你的 final term you will be required to complete 180 hours of h和s-on experience in a medical clinic or healthcare facility. We can guide you in 你的 search, but it is 你的 responsibility to find 和 secure an 校外实习 site.

软件下载的 goal is to fully prepare you to thrive in 你的 new career. 的 clinical 和 校外实习 h和s-on component of the 程序 is crucial to helping you get the experience you need to become a medical assistant right out of school.

你的 choice depends on the career path you’d like to pursue.

If 你的 number one priority is finding a job as a medical assistant as quickly as possible, a diploma 程序 may be a better choice. You can earn a diploma in a year or less when attending full-time 和 be ready to enter the workforce as a 认证 medical assistant.

If you envision medical assisting as step one on a long career path in healthcare, you may prefer to choose the associate degree 程序. In addition to core medical assisting courses, you will take general education classes you can transfer into a bachelor’s degree 程序 in the future. Baccalaureate options for medical assistants include healthcare administration, health sciences 和 health information man年龄ment. Earning an associate degree will likely only take a few months longer 和 position you very well 为 next step in 你的 education.

With Herzing University, an affordable, career-focused education is within 你的 reach. We are always striving to make college more affordable for everyone.

• Student loans & secured loans. 贷款 offer a way to pay for all or part of 你的 tuition.
• 奖学金. We offer a variety of 奖学金 based on academic achievement, financial need or community affiliations. Contact an admissions advisor about current scholarship opportunities by calling 1-800-596-0724 or request for information online.

You can find an estimate for grant 和 scholarship aid using the net price calculator, 和 find an estimate for tuition 为 online medical assisting 程序 using Herzing University’s tuition wizard.

Because medical assistants can wear so many different hats there are many important skills needed to thrive in different healthcare environments:

• Professionalism. In many positions you will need to h和le customer service tasks, basic patient care 和 clearly communicate physician information to patients. Medical assistants must demonstrate professionalism 和 tact when interacting with patients.
• Attention to detail. Medical assistants may gather patient contact or insurance information 和 keep medical records organized. You must be meticulous 和 highly detail oriented to succeed.
• 同情. Making patients comfortable 和 empathizing with their concerns is crucial ensuring patients are calm 和 collected for medical procedures.
• Multi-tasking. Staying organized 和 measured in the face of quickly changing circumstances 和 a lengthy “to-do” list will make you indispensable to a healthcare team.

的se are just a few key medical assistant skills that will help you excel in medical assisting 和 beyond to many other career opportunities in healthcare.

How long it takes to become a medical assistant depends on what level of education you pursue. Partner Herzing与 University 和 you can expect a range of 10 months–20 months to get 你的 education, get 认证 和 start looking for a medical assistant position, depending on whether you choose a diploma or degree 程序.

的 following timelines are based on full-time status:

• Associate degree: 20个月
• 文凭: 10个月

After earning 你的 degree or diploma, we recommend becoming 认证 as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) even if it isn’t required in 你的 state. With a diploma/degree 和 a certification, you’ll be positioned well for 你的 first job.

Beginning 你的 career as a medical assistant is a great way to build a strong foundational education in healthcare, gain meaningful real-world experience 和 prepare 你的self to continue growing professionally.

是什么? next level after medical assistant? It depends on 你的 strengths, preferences 和 overall career goals in healthcare.

Many fields in healthcare are potential l和ing spots for medical assistants looking to specialize or branch into a new career path, 包括 healthcare man年龄ment, health information man年龄ment, 护理 (you may consider going 从 medical assistant to RN)，以及更多.

Herzing University offers many degree 和 diploma 程序s for practicing medical assistants to take a leap 和 embark on a new career path. 软件下载的 health sciences degree 程序 is designed to help you complete 你的 bachelor's degree 和 advance 你的 career to the next level.

Medical assistants typically have a greater role in patient care, 和 may perform tasks like taking vital signs, providing injections or medications or aiding in patient exams.

Medical office/administrative assistants practice in a clerical role rather than in direct patient care, responsible for organizing patient records, scheduling appointments, answering phones or filing paperwork.