If you want to have a career in the medical field but don’t want to invest the time and money into being a physician, a medical assistant can be the right field for you. Medical assistants work alongside physicians to provide a high level of care to patients. You’ll find these individuals working in both outpatient and ambulatory care facilities around the nation.

The Employment Outlook

Medical assistants are one of the highest in-demand fields of our time. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating that nearly 155,000 new jobs will be available from 2018 to 2028, it’s no wonder that people are fascinated by this medical field. Most will start out making $16 per hour with great potential for improvement depending on years of experience and practice location.

Educational Requirements

While it’s not always necessary for individuals to take online medical assistant classes to become a medical assistant, it greatly increases their chances of doing so. Not very many physicians will hire on a medical assistant that has no educational background. Rather, they want to see that you’ve undergone formal training through an accredited program. This shows that you have the background education in the medical field to be successful. Some of these certifications can be done in one year while an associate’s degree requires two years.

Internships Are Necessary

When you take online courses, you’ll need to have practical hands-on experience to graduate. This is usually done in the form of an internship. You’ll need to get in contact with a medical office in your local town that will allow you to assist with medical duties. This hands-on training helps to give you actual real-life experience completing duties that medical assistants are expected to do regularly.

Getting Certified Ups Your Chances of Employment

While medical assistants aren’t required to have certification, most medical facilities prefer to hire those who are. You can become a certified medical assistant or CMA by taking the CMA exam. Your medical school will likely be able to connect you with a testing facility where you can get your certification. CMAs do typically make more money than those who are not certified.

Healthcare seems like an ever-changing industry. Understanding how you can get involved can work to get you a job you love and one that will support you financially. Becoming a medical assistant is a great career opportunity that has surefire job growth going into the future decade.