A Simple Guide To The Medical Assistant Profession

Who is a medical assistant?

A medical assistant is a trained, multi-skilled medical professional who performs administrative and clinical tasks in a wide variety of settings, such as medical offices, clinics, and hospitals. Medical assistants can work under the direct supervision of a physician, an office manager, or another healthcare practitioner. One of the fastest growing healthcare careers, the medical assisting profession is expected to continue growing because of the expansion of the healthcare industry and the increasing health needs of the aging U.S. population. These factors make medical assisting a stable career option in the healthcare field.
Medical assisting offers a challenging career to individuals who enjoy working with people and want to be involved in helping people lead healthier lives. A medical assistant has the opportunity to be actively involved in patient care not only by performing many administrative and clinical procedures, but also by providing moral support and comfort to patients of all ages. Working as a medical assistant is a rewarding profession that can provide personal satisfaction by fulfilling a vital role in the medical office.

Background and History of the Profession
A profession is a calling or a vocation founded on specialized educational training. Historically, medical assistants were trained on the job, because no structured educational facilities were available to teach students the administrative and clinical skills needed in the physician’s office. Over the years, because of advancements in technology, an increased need for qualified medical assistants, an increase in malpractice lawsuits, and a lack of consistency with on-the-job training, various types of medical assisting educational programs emerged. In 1956, medical assisting was designated a profession and a national organization, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), was formed. Another medical agency, the American Medical Technologists, a national certifying agency for laboratory professionals since 1939, began offering a certification examination for medical assistants in the early 1970s. These professional organizations were instrumental in shaping the educational requirements needed for medical assisting programs and listing the skills for the administrative and clinical areas of medical assisting.
The duties of a medical assistant may vary depending on the place of employment, the size of the medical practice, and the specialty of the practitioner. Although a medical assistant may work in a variety of medical facilities, the majority work in physicians’ offices and other outpatient facilities. The medical assistant is an important team member in such offices and facilities and is responsible for their smooth and proper operation.

The Working Environment
Many medical assistants work a 40-hour workweek, Monday through Friday, although the type of facility where the medical assistant is employed may require medical assistants to work some evenings, weekends, and even holidays. For example, walk-in centers and hospitals are open seven days a week and 24 hours a day, and need medical assistants to work various shifts to cover these hours.
The environments in which medical assistants work are usually busy and involve constant interactions with many people, as medical assistants often serve as a liaison between the patient and the physician. Administrative medical assistants typically work in the front office and perform a number of administrative duties. These tasks include:
- greeting patients
- answering the phone and triaging (screening) incoming calls
- taking phone messages
- collecting patient data during registration
- setting up and maintaining patient records
- scheduling patient appointments
- billing and payment collection
- posting patient charges and payments
- handling correspondence
- processing outgoing mail
- scheduling inpatient and outpatient diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests
- maintaining inventory
- ordering supplies
- handling correspondence
- processing insurance claims

What’s in a Name?
A patient calls to you, a medical assistant, as you walk down the hall of the medical office, 'Nurse, Nurse.' What should the medical assistant do? He or she should respond to the patient, but also should inform the patient that the medical assistant is not a nurse. If the patient is not corrected—and is left to believe that he or she is speaking with a nurse and not a medical assistant—a charge of the illegal use of the title nurse may be brought against the medical assistant. This is a felony punishable by law.
The administrative medical assistant sets the tone of the medical office. He or she should provide a warm, friendly environment for all patients. The medical assistant is usually the first person to make contact with a patient, either by phone or when the patient arrives for his or her appointment. First impressions are important, and a skilled medical assistant is trained to project a warm personality, making patients feel welcome and confident in the medical care they are to receive.

Clinical medical assisting skills include:
- taking medical histories
- measuring vital signs
- performing diagnostic procedures such as electrocardiograms
- preparing patients for examinations
- assisting physicians in medical and surgical procedures
- changing dressings
- removing sutures
- preparing and administering medications (depending on state laws and regulations)
- drawing blood (phlebotomy)
- collecting and processing laboratory specimens
- providing patient education
The working environment in a medical facility demands much interaction and communication with patients and their families and with other members of the healthcare team. A medical assistant needs critical thinking skills, a wide range of administrative and clinical skills, and good communication skills. The skills performed will vary depending on the type of facility.

Specialized Medical Assistants
Although medical assistants are trained in both administrative and clinical skills, some medical assistants prefer to specialize in areas such as podiatry, a field of medicine relating to the care of the foot, or ophthalmology, a field of medicine relating to the care of the eye. A podiatric medical assistant earns a certifying credential from the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants and may be trained to make castings of the feet, assist in surgery, and take and process X-rays. An ophthalmic medical assistant earns a certifying credential from the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology and may be trained to perform vision tests using an eye chart, assist in surgery, and educate patients on inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. There are three levels of certification for ophthalmic medical assistants. An entry-level ophthalmic medical assistant has a salary range of $23,000 to $32,000.
A medical administrative specialist is a multi-skilled practitioner in front office management including records management, insurance processing, and basic office management tasks, and is responsible for coordinating administrative functions in the healthcare setting. A medical administrative specialist may be a graduate of a medical assisting program, may have earned an RMA credential, and must have worked as an administrative specialist for at least five years in the field before applying for the Certified Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS) credential awarded by the certification agency and professional organization American Medical Technologists (AMT).

Salary and Benefits
The salary for a medical assistant depends on several factors: the medical assistant’s skill level, his or her years of experience in the field, the existence of a certifying credential (CMA or RMA), the location of the facility, and the type of facility at which the medical assistant is employed. Facilities employing a large number of employees tend to offer a higher salary range than smaller facilities.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, state government facilities constituted the highest paying sector, with a mean (average) annual wage of $36,430.Even back in 2011, 50 percent of medical assistants in the middle of the salary range earned between $27,350 and $32,833, and those in the top 10 percent earned $35,389 or more. Some sources quote the salary range of an experienced medical assistant as more than $40,000 per year.
Medical assistants often receive higher salaries for work in medical practices that have higher earning power. For instance, specialty physicians in areas such as gynecology, cardiology, and hematology are paid more than primary care physicians for their services, and all physicians performing some type of surgery also earn more than primary care physicians.

Fringe benefits, also known as employee benefits, are the various types of non-wage compensation offered to employees of a facility in addition to their normal wages or salaries. Fringe benefits—often a key ingredient in attracting and retaining medical assisting employees—are generally not taxable to the employee. These benefits may add significantly to a medical assistant’s total compensation, depending on the type of benefits offered. The medical assistant should be aware of benefit packages offered by perspective employers and, when evaluating potential job offers, should consider not only benefits that could be used immediately, such as a health insurance plan, but also long-term benefits, such as a retirement plan. Fringe benefits will vary from office to office and may include:
- health insurance, including medical, vision, and dental plans
- tuition reimbursement or free continuing education
- retirement benefits, including 401(k) plans, simple IRA plans, and other plans
- lunch vouchers
- uniform expense allowance
- paid parking
- paid vacation
- paid sick days
- paid holidays

Medical Assisting Education and Training
Medical assistant programs are typically taught at junior and community colleges, privately owned colleges, or secondary education vocational schools. A graduate from one of these programs can earn a diploma, a certificate, or an associate degree in applied science, depending on the length of the program and the content of the program. Diplomas are given to students after completion of specified educational requirements. Certificates are different from diplomas because they are usually given when a student completes a specific course of study and has mastered particular skills usually required for a specific job. Often the terms diploma and certificate are used interchangeably by colleges although the knowledge acquired is the same.

Types of Programs
A certificate program and an associate degree may open up many opportunities for the graduate and help in the advancement of a career. Because each program is different, the student must understand the difference between the programs offered and make a decision based on which program will meet his or her needs and goals.
- A certificate program usually takes one year or less to complete. Some certificate programs require that an applicant have some type of experience in the field of the certificate since the program often enhances the skills already acquired by the applicant. Many times a student will complete a certificate program and work in the field as he or she works toward an associate degree.
- It usually takes two years to complete the required credits for an associate degree. Students entering the degree program do not need to have experience in the chosen field. Earning an associate degree may be a stepping stone to earning higher academic degrees, such as a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree.
A prospective medical assistant should give some thought to the course of his or her education and individual career goals before selecting the type of program in which to enroll. If a prospective student enjoys studying and decides to pursue a higher degree, the certificate program may not be the best choice; enrolling in a two-year associate program may be the better option. If the student’s goal is to complete a program as quickly as possible and get out into the workforce, the certificate program may be a better choice.

Medical Assisting Courses
Courses offered in a medical assisting program may vary slightly depending on whether the program is a certificate or degree program. Degree programs require general education courses during the first year, with the medical assisting courses offered in the second year. Courses cover a wide range of material, including:
- anatomy and physiology: normal structures and workings of the human body
- pathophysiology: diseases and conditions affecting the human body
- medical terminology: jargon used in the medical field
- psychology: psychological growth and development, methods of communication, and so on
- keyboarding and knowledge of computer programs such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
- pharmacology: classification of drugs, calculation of dosages, preparation of medications, and administration of oral and parenteral medications (depending on state laws)
- clinical laboratory theory: learning and performing various lab tests used in medical offices, phlebotomy techniques, and so on
- CPR and first aid, such as the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for infants, children, and adults
- topics in health care law: various laws pertaining to the medical field, employment laws, and state and federal regulations
- ethics, including the 'Patients’ Bill of Rights'; the importance of honesty, integrity, caring, and freedom of choice for patients; informed consent; and patients’ right to privacy and confidentiality in the use of their personal information
- administrative office procedures: medical records management, billing and collection, insurance claim processing, diagnostic and procedural coding, electronic submission of insurance claims, banking procedures, payroll procedures, and inventory and supply orders
- clinical skills and an internship experience
Two-year degree programs also require courses in English composition, advanced mathematics, and communication; elective courses in psychology, sociology, languages, history, art, music, and advanced computer skills are also available for the degree student.

Medical Assisting Credentials and Accreditation Agencies
Gaining medical assisting credentials is usually based on attending an educational program with proper accreditation. Medical assisting education programs are accredited by one of the two national accrediting agencies for medical assisting: the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Credentials
One route by which a medical assistant can gain credentials is through the Certified Medical Assistant exam. Only graduates from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assistant program are eligible to sit for the national CMA certification examinations offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. Upon successfully passing the exam, the graduate medical assistant earns the CMA credential, which is recognized in every state and is valid for five years.
The accrediting agencies require that a CMA apply for recertification in two ways, either by retaking the national exam or by earning continuing education units (CEUs) in order to keep current with advances in the medical assisting profession and to retain the privilege of using the CMA credential. The AAMA requires 60 CEUs every five years divided between the administrative, clinical, and general areas of medical assisting. The 60 CEUs must include ten administrative, ten clinical, and ten general. The remaining 30 CEUs may include some combination of these three categories.
A CMA must also maintain a current CPR certificate and provide a photocopy of the card plus a written description of the type and length of the course to the AAMA. The CPR course taken must meet or exceed the requirements of the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association in order to be accepted by the AAMA.
The national organization of the AAMA comprises local chapters in more than 40 states. Membership is encouraged to keep current on changes in the healthcare field, to earn CEUs, and to network with other medical assistants. Local chapters offer continuing education, state chapters offer yearly conventions, and the national organization has a nationwide convention offering numerous opportunities for earning CEUs.

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) Credentials
The medical assistant can also gain credentials by taking the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam, offered by the American Medical Technologists. To be eligible for the RMA exam, an applicant must have successfully completed a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES; must have graduated from a medical assisting program in an institution (postsecondary school or college) that has been accredited by a regional accrediting commission or national accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education; or must have worked in the medical assisting profession for at least five years. Upon passing the national RMA exam, the medical assistant automatically becomes a member of AMT and receives the quarterly magazine of the organization, among other benefits. AMT requires that an RMA earn 30 points within a three-year period in order to retain the RMA credential. The points may be earned through continuing education, employer evaluations, and professional and formal education.

The Value of Credentials and Accreditation
The purpose of accrediting medical assisting programs is to ensure that a program offers an education that will provide a graduate with the skills needed for an entry-level position in the medical assisting profession. Medical assisting programs choose to be accredited because many physicians prefer to hire a graduate from an accredited program. Accreditation of a program by a national accrediting agency ensures that the medical assisting program has met the educational requirements set forth by the accrediting agency, as well as the requirements for entry-level skill competencies and responsibilities needed by the graduate to be a success in the working environment.
Medical assisting programs offer classroom instruction as well as a laboratory experience to practice both administrative and clinical skills, along with an unpaid internship experience in a medical facility. The internship experience, also referred to as an externship or a practicum, offers the student a time to practice and gain experience and confidence in the workplace before graduation, while still under the guidance and supervision of the educational facility and the medical facility.
There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited medical assisting program and earning the CMA or RMA credential. An accredited program not only ensures the graduate a quality education, but also provides physicians and other recruiters with the confidence that they will be hiring a prepared, knowledgeable medical assistant.

CMA or RMA?
Which credential should the medical assisting student seek: a CMA or an RMA? The accreditation of programs is more closely regulated than the accreditation of institutions, so it could be argued that the CMA is part of a more rigorous regulatory environment. Also, the CAAHEP and ABHES are the only two nationally programmatic accrediting agencies for medical assisting. However, once the graduate earns a credential—be it the CMA or RMA—it is accepted nationally. Personal preference and availability of medical assisting programs to meet a range of personal needs—such as location, size of institution, and the like—may influence the type of program and the type of credential sought upon graduation. Both the RMA and the CMA perform the same skills in the medical office, and both enjoy the rewarding experience of being a professional medical assistant.

About the National Exams
Two exams are offered through which the medical assistant can obtain certification: the Certified Medical Assistant exam and the Registered Medical Assistant exam.

Certified Medical Assistant Exam
The Certified Medical Assistant exam offers three eligibility categories.

1. Graduates from a CAAHEP or ABHES medical assisting program: Students in this category may take the exam up to 30 days prior to graduation after completing all requirements for graduation including the internship experience. No documentation is needed for graduating students, but the program director must verify that the applicant is a recent graduate who has met all the requirements of the program.

2. Non-recent graduates of a CAAHEP or ABHES medical assisting program: This category covers graduates applying for the exam later than 12 months after graduation. An official transcript from the medical assisting program of the applicant must be sent in with the application for the exam.

3. CMAs who need to be recertified: This category consists of medical assistants who already have a CMA and need only to be recertified. A photocopy of the CMA credential must be sent in with the application as well as a copy of the CPR and first aid certificate. If the applicant is unable to perform CPR because of physical disabilities, a note signed by a physician on official letterhead must be sent in with the application for documentation.
Fees for the exam are nonrefundable and are nontransferable, meaning the scheduled date cannot be changed. Personal checks are not accepted, although the applicant may pay by credit card, debit card, or cashier’s or certified check. Once the payment has cleared, the applicant will be notified within 45 days of mailing the payment that he or she is now eligible to take the exam. Information will be sent on the policies and procedures in effect at the test center.
Certain candidate information may not be divulged without written permission of the candidate, such as the exam score, the number of times the candidate has taken the exam, or any personal information about the candidate.
The CMA exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions covering general knowledge, administrative knowledge and skills, and clinical knowledge and skills, with 180 questions being scored and the remaining 20 questions used as sample questions for future exams. The score is based on the number of correct answers to scored questions, not to the sample questions. The time allotment for the test is three hours. A nonofficial pass/fail grade will be given immediately after the exam, and the official score will be sent in approximately ten weeks.

Registered Medical Assistant Exam
The Registered Medical Assistant exam eligibility standards require that the applicant fit one of the following categories:

1. A recent graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES medical assisting program

2. A graduate from a postsecondary institution or college that has institutional accreditation from a regional accrediting commission approved by the U.S. Department of Education

3. A current medical assistant with a minimum of five years’ experience working in the profession
The RMA exam consists of 200 to 210 multiple-choice questions covering the same subject areas as the CMA exam. The questions are presented in no particular order and are allotted among the subject areas according to the following breakdown: general medical assisting knowledge, 41 percent; administrative medical assisting, 24 percent; and clinical medical assisting, 35 percent. The exam is offered at more than 200 Pearson VUE locations in the United States almost every day of the year, except on weekends and holidays.
After an application is completed and sent to the AMT registrar, the applicant will receive notification of acceptance and given information about the date, time, and place of the exam. Photo ID is needed for verification of identity before taking the exam. The medical assistant has two hours to take the exam. Results from the computer-based RMA exam are immediate.

Job Readiness and Seeking Employment
Graduating from an accredited medical assisting program provides graduates with the knowledge and training needed to enter the professional workplace with confidence. Gaining credentials by passing either national certification examination—the Certified Medical Assistant exam or the Registered Medical Assistant exam—will indicate to potential employers that the graduate has met a set of high professional standards. This credential, and the ongoing education required by the agencies to keep credentials current, may help with career advancement and financial compensation throughout a medical assistant’s professional life.

Resume and Cover Letters
The most important tools of a medical assistant’s job search are the resume and cover letter. A resume is a written description of work experience, skills, and educational background that qualifies one for a particular job. It is a marketing tool used to inform a prospective employer about the applicant’s good qualities, previous job experiences, and volunteer activities, and to help the employer decide whether or not to offer an interview. A cover letter is usually sent with a resume and should summarize information—either noted in the resume or not—that relates specifically to the position being offered.
Resumes should be accurate, concise, grammatically correct, and, if possible, limited to one page. There are different styles used to prepare a resume, and the medical assistant should use the style that best describes his or her qualifications for a specific job.
- A chronological resume summarizes an applicant’s background in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most recent information is listed first. This type of resume may be used when emphasizing education and work experiences related to the offered position.
- A targeted resume is written specifically for an advertised job. It emphasizes the education and experiences that are directly related to fulfilling the expectations listed for the offered position.
- A functional resume emphasizes the most valuable experiences and skills that the applicant can bring to the job. In a functional resume, information is not necessarily arranged in chronological order, but rather focuses on learned skills that would make the applicant the right person for the job.
References should not be listed on a resume, although a statement saying 'References available on request' may be added to the resume, usually at the end. The medical assistant should ask permission before listing someone as a reference. Coworkers, former teachers, former employers, or anyone who knows the applicant’s strengths and abilities would make a good reference. Applicants should avoid using family members as references.

Example of a Cover Letter

January 26, 2011
Mary Jane Smith
166 Elm Street
Goshen, CT 06145
Dale Evans, Office Manager
Mid-State Urgent Care
465 Terryville Avenue
Bristol, CT 06010
 

Dear Ms. Evans,
I am interested in a position as a medical assistant in your urgent care center. I have worked as a medical assistant for the past seven years and enjoy working with patients and helping them with their medical care.
I believe that my varied experience and skills would make me a valuable member of your healthcare team. I have worked in both the clinical and administrative medical assisting areas. My most recent position allowed me to gain extensive experience in helping patients of all ages and to manage triage in a busy walk-in facility.
Please call me at (860) 583-1465 to schedule an interview and further discuss my qualifications for the position available. I may also be reached at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Mary Jane Smith, CMA
Enclosure: resume

Methods of Job Searching
A job search is the process of locating potential employers, understanding what the employers need, and providing information that shows each employer how his or her facility will benefit from hiring the applicant. There are many methods that may be used to help in the job search:
- Networking. Networking is the cultivation of relationships for business purposes or for job searching. Job seekers should 'advertise' their skills, telling everyone in their networks—including teachers, relatives, neighbors, friends, and previous coworkers—that they are looking for a position as a medical assistant. Often, jobs are advertised by word-of-mouth and networking can help the job seeker find out about such opportunities.
- Research on the Internet. There are many job-hunting websites that list local and national job opportunities. Government agencies and private employers often list position openings on job boards. General job-hunting websites such as http://www.monster.com or http://www.career
builder.com may be useful in locating available positions.
- Professional organizations. Many professional organizations offer employment information, list jobs, and may even offer job placement services. The medical assistant should consider becoming a member of the AAMA or the AMT, as well as the local chapters of these organizations, which offer networking and professional development to medical assistants.
- Placement offices at college or school. Many colleges and schools offer continuing job placement services to students and alumni. Placement offices may produce job fairs to which recruiters are invited to conduct interviews with students on site. The medical assistant seeking a position should have his or her information listed with the college or school placement office.
- Employers. Contacting individual employers—either in person or by sending a resume and cover letter—is another method for finding a job.
- Classified ads. Checking the 'Help Wanted' ads in the local newspaper can alert the medical assistant to a job opening.
- Internship experience. Many medical assistants find employment at the site of their internship experiences. This is a ideal way to gain a position because both the facility and the medical student have already gotten a chance to try each other out. Having been trained in the specific procedures and policies of an office, the medical assistant intern can more easily fit into a new position should one become available.

Interviewing
Getting ready for a job interview takes much preparation. The medical assistant should learn as much about the medical facility to which he or she is applying as possible before the job interview. In addition, the applicant should prepare for the interview by reviewing his or her qualifications and by practicing answering sample questions on general topics that may be asked.

Other pointers for job interviews include:
- Dress conservatively, use good hygiene, and have a positive attitude.
- Arrive early for the interview; being late will give the prospective employer the impression that you will likely not be able to be on time for work.
- Always be polite and courteous to everyone you encounter at the facility on the day of the interview, even those employees you think have no input on hiring decisions.
- Make eye contact, appear enthusiastic, and show a genuine interest in the position.
- Avoid questions about salary and benefits during a first interview.
- At the completion of the interview, thank the interviewer and shake hands.
- Send thank-you notes to everyone involved in the interview process.
Reaching your goal of becoming a professional medical assistant will lead you to a rewarding and satisfying career. Use the guidance and information in this book to prepare you to earn your credentials in this productive and challenging profession!

Anticipating Possible Interview Questions
Try to anticipate the kind of questions that you will be asked in a job interview and to prepare for them. Possible interview questions might include:
- 'Why should I hire you?'
- 'Why do you want this position?'
- 'What makes you the best person for this position?'
- 'List some of your strengths and weaknesses.'
Anticipating possible questions and being prepared with answers will instill confidence and help you to make a good impression on the employer.