How Can I Advance My Career as a Medical Assistant?

Training to become a certified medical assistant (CMA) can open doors to an array of rewarding careers. Medical assistants are an integral part of any medical facility or hospital. Performing administrative and clinical tasks makes them a versatile asset to any healthcare team. After becoming a medical assistant there is also enormous potential for advancement within the field of medical assisting.  

For example, your timeline for pursuing and advancing a medical assisting career might look something like this:

Complete a Training Program 

To ensure optimal success as a certified medical assistant, it’s essential that you enroll in a program from an accredited institution. If the school you choose is not accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), you won’t be eligible to take the exam to become certified after completion of your training program. The Certified Medical Assistant is only earned through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and they only allow graduates of accredited medical assisting programs to sit for the exam, so it’s important that you find an accredited school to receive your training. 

Get Certified 

After successfully completing your medical assisting training program, take the next step by taking and passing the exam to become a certified medical assistant. While not all states require certification to obtain employment as a medical assistant, most employers prefer to hire certified medical assistants. Taking the extra step to become certified demonstrates your dedication and commitment to the field of medical assisting and potential employers will take notice. It also gives you a competitive edge over candidates who aren’t certified, and often leads to higher pay, better shift choices, and more opportunities for advancement. 

Gain Experience 

Medical assistants can advance their careers by gaining professional experience. Consider exploring entry-level positions after graduation to gain a deeper understanding of the medical field and develop your skills and technical knowledge further. After gaining experience, your roles and responsibilities will increase, as will your opportunities for advancement. Be sure to take advantage of any on the job or additional training opportunities as well, like classes on recognizing drug use, CPR workshops, phlebotomy, and more. When presented with the chance to try something new, seize the moment. Offer to learn how to use new equipment in the workplace, like an EKG machine or new billing and coding software, to broaden your horizons. 

Explore Specialties 

After gaining some general CMA experience under your belt, you may want to look at medical specializations as your next step. Choosing a medical specialty is a great way to advance your career and work in an area of medicine that interests you most. There are many different specialties available outside of family practice. In fact, the list of specialization options is nearly limitless. Some of the more popular specializations include: 

• Pediatrics 
• Dermatology 
• Obstetrics and Gynecology 
• Orthopedics 
• Ophthalmology 
• Podiatry 
• Urology 
• Cardiology 
• Plastic Surgery 
• Gastroenterology 

Ready to Get Started? 

Medical assisting is an exciting, versatile career with nearly endless possibilities for growth and advancement. If you’d like to see where a career in medical assisting can take you, now is the perfect time to enroll in an accredited training program. Start your career path off in the best position possible with comprehensive quality CMA training from Athena Career Academy. Contact us today to schedule a campus tour.