Certified Medical Assistants: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of certified medical assistants about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for certified medical assistants to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of certified medical assistants expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for certified medical assistants.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Certified Medical Assistants?
Do certified medical assistants need a degree? What kind of experience do certified medical assistants typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for certified medical assistants to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Certified Medical Assistants
Jobs Postings for Certified Medical Assistants By Education
- High School or GED: 173,566 (60%)
- No Education Listed: 89,658 (31%)
- Bachelor's degree: 15,061 (5%)
- Master's degree: 9,236 (3%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,177 (1%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of certified medical assistants. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 60% of positions. In 31% of job listings no education level was listed and in 5% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Certified Medical Assistants
Jobs Postings for Certified Medical Assistants By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 104,780 (66%)
- 2-3 Years: 45,488 (28%)
- 4-6 Years: 7,809 (5%)
- 7-9 Years: 660 (0%)
- 10+ Years: 916 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for certified medical assistants. In 66% of job postings for Certified Medical Assistants, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 28% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 5% of job postings for certified medical assistants.
What Kind of Degree Do Certified Medical Assistants Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for certified medical assistants, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 15 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective certified medical assistants, and in 2023 a total of 130,481 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective certified medical assistants.
Top Degree Programs for Certified Medical Assistants
Top 5 Degree Programs for Certified Medical Assistants (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Medical/Clinical Assistant. | 51,387 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 28,469 |
| Biomedical Sciences, General. | 11,284 |
| Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder. | 9,454 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. | 7,359 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Medical/Clinical Assistant. | 51,387 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 28,469 |
| Biomedical Sciences, General. | 11,284 |
| Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder. | 9,454 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. | 7,359 |
| Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary. | 7,095 |
| Medical Office Assistant/Specialist. | 4,140 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other. | 4,121 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other. | 1,963 |
| Radiologist Assistant. | 1,446 |
| Sterile Processing Technology/Technician. | 1,309 |
| Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist. | 1,159 |
| Medical Reception/Receptionist. | 913 |
| Anesthesiologist Assistant. | 382 |
| Chiropractic Technician/Assistant. | 0 |
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Certificates & Microcredentials for Certified Medical Assistants
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- Time To Complete: 5-6 months
- Cost: $4,000
What Skills Do Certified Medical Assistants Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by certified medical assistants to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for certified medical assistants, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Certified Medical Assistants
Based on 299,458 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Certified Medical Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistance | 240,498 | 80% |
| Vital Signs | 147,095 | 49% |
| Medical Records | 102,641 | 34% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 76,275 | 25% |
| Phlebotomy | 75,705 | 25% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Certified Medical Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 108,817 | 36% |
| Customer Service | 79,187 | 26% |
| Clerical Works | 64,097 | 21% |
| Scheduling | 60,965 | 20% |
| Computer Literacy | 39,549 | 13% |
Based on 299,458 job postings related to certified medical assistants, medical assistance was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 80% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for vital signs, medical records, electronic medical record, phlebotomy and patient preparation were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for certified medical assistants, followed by customer service, clerical works, scheduling, computer literacy and administrative functions.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistance | 240,498 | 80% |
| Vital Signs | 147,095 | 49% |
| Medical Records | 102,641 | 34% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 76,275 | 25% |
| Phlebotomy | 75,705 | 25% |
| Patient Preparation | 66,475 | 22% |
| Intravenous Therapy | 64,430 | 22% |
| Electrocardiography | 62,197 | 21% |
| Medical Terminology | 46,942 | 16% |
| Nursing | 45,323 | 15% |
| Setting Appointments | 42,659 | 14% |
| Medical Prescription | 41,679 | 14% |
| Medical History Documentation | 40,210 | 13% |
| Patient Flow | 39,549 | 13% |
| Medication Administration | 39,179 | 13% |
| Laboratory Testing | 36,967 | 12% |
| Infection Control | 29,143 | 10% |
| Blood Pressure | 29,126 | 10% |
| Sterilization | 28,536 | 10% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 26,467 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 108,817 | 36% |
| Customer Service | 79,187 | 26% |
| Clerical Works | 64,097 | 21% |
| Scheduling | 60,965 | 20% |
| Computer Literacy | 39,549 | 13% |
| Administrative Functions | 36,805 | 12% |
| Management | 35,504 | 12% |
| Operations | 32,967 | 11% |
| Multitasking | 30,364 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 30,333 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 25,321 | 8% |
| Writing | 23,157 | 8% |
| Professionalism | 22,731 | 8% |
| English Language | 21,464 | 7% |
| Coordinating | 21,259 | 7% |
| Filing | 20,955 | 7% |
| Problem Solving | 20,802 | 7% |
| Multilingualism | 20,300 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 20,173 | 7% |
| Teamwork | 18,123 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about certified medical assistants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for certified medical assistants.
What do certified medical assistants do?
How much do certified medical assistants make?
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