Clinical medical assistants: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more

Clinical medical assistants have different duties, depending on the state where they work. They may do basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They may have additional responsibilities, such as instructing patients about medication or special diets, preparing patients for x rays, removing stitches, drawing blood, or changing dressings.

Education Required
Medical assistants typically graduate from postsecondary education programs. Although there are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant in most states, employers may prefer to hire assistants who have completed these programs.
Training Required
Medical assistants who do not have postsecondary education certificates learn their skills through on-the-job training. Physicians or other medical assistants may teach a new assistant medical terminology, the names of the instruments, how to do daily tasks, how to interact with patients, and other tasks that help keep an office running smoothly. Medical assistants also learn how to code both paper and electronic health records (EHRs) and how to record patient information. It can take several months for an assistant to complete training, depending on the facility.
Job Outlook
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 29% (Much faster than average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.)
Advancement
With experience, medical assistants can specialize and move into leadership roles. With more education they may advance into other healthcare occupations such as registered nurse, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Licenses/Certifications
Medical assistants are not required to be certified in most states. However, employers may prefer to hire certified assistants.
Median pay: How much do Medical Assistants make?
$31,540 Annual Salary
$15.17 per hour

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