The first step in getting the right education is to choose a medical assisting school that is accredited by either the ABHES or the CAAHEP. From there, you will need to decide if you want to become an RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) or CMA (Certified Medical Assistant)…or possibly both.

What is the CMA?

The CMA designation is awarded by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). After passing the initial test, CMAs must renew their certification every five years through a combination of experience and continuing education credits.

The CMA is traditionally recognized as the more prestigious of the two designations, and in some areas, it is the only one that counts in a professional sense. In order to apply for the exam, graduating students will be asked to pay $125 (for members) or $250 (for non-members). Test questions cover:

• Administrative and Clinical Procedures
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Medical Terminology
• Medicolegal Guidelines and Regulations
• Laboratory Procedures

What is the RMA?

The RMA credential is awarded by the American Medical Technologists (AMT), a nonprofit certification agency that extends its reach over 60,000 allied health care professionals in the United States. In addition to medical assistants, the AMT offers certifications for Medical Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Medical Lab Assistants, Medical Administrative Specialists, Phlebotomy Technicians, Dental Assistants, Allied Health Instructors, and Clinical Laboratory Consultants.

You can only take the RMA certification exam if you have been employed as a medical assistant for at least five years. The test application fee is $95 and requires a $50 annual membership charge. The test covers the areas of:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Medical Terminology
• Medical Law/Ethics
• Insurance and Finance
• Clinical Medical Assisting

Which One is Right for Me?

Before you sign up for either test program, be sure and check with your state guidelines regarding eligibility to work as a medical assistant. You can also talk with area employers to find out what they look for in candidates.

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Medical Assisting Certifications

Regulation in Health Care Careers

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Because the job of a medical secretary is so varied and comprehensive, the skills needed to succeed in the job are many. A day in the life of a medical secretary might include:

• Answering phone calls
• Greeting patients
• Preparing, sending, and receiving patient correspondence
• Maintaining accurate records
• Setting and canceling appointments
• Transcribing dictation
• Completing and filing insurance forms
• Manage the electronic database

As these tasks indicate, a good sense of organization and strong communication skills are key in being successful on the job. The right training—primarily in medical terminology, insurance forms processing, and electronic record-keeping—is needed to land many of the top medical secretary jobs. This can either be learned on the job or in a medical secretary program, which can last anywhere from a few months to two years (and culminate in an Associate’s degree).

There is no national overseeing body for medical secretaries, so the degree or a license isn’t a requirement, but certification through an accredited program can make you more appealing to employers. In many cases, a similar degree program (such as billing/coding or transcription) can lead to medical secretary work.

Medical Secretary Outlook

Medical secretaries most often work in a private physician’s office, where patients come and go all day long. However, jobs are available in hospitals, nursing homes, home health care facilities, pharmacies, and even insurance companies. Anywhere there needs to be a high level of organization in a health care setting, there is almost always a medical secretary present to oversee it all.

As is the case with most health care careers, the outlook for medical secretaries over the next decade is good, with new opportunities opening all the time. The average salary is around $30,000 per year, though professionals who take on more responsibilities (such as billing and coding or office management) may see a rise in that figure.

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Non-Clinical Health Care Career Options

High Demand Health Care Jobs

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Laboratory Supervisor—As is the case in any business setting, there is usually a person in charge of overseeing the staff and making managerial decisions. At a blood bank, this is the laboratory supervisor or blood bank coordinator. In many cases, this individual moves up from a technician or technologist position.

Laboratory Technician—These are the individuals who analyze, evaluate, and store the blood once it has been drawn, often under the direction of a technologist. They may also process patients or donors as they enter the facility. These positions typically require a two-year degree, and often overlap with other lab work preparation and cleaning work.

Laboratory Technologist—Technologists typically have a four-year degree and are certified lab specialists. They process specimens and oversee quality assurance measures, and they may or may not assist in the actual drawing of the blood. Most technologists are higher-ranking than their technician counterparts.

Phlebotomist—In as little as just a few months of training, you can become qualified to draw blood from clients and patients. In a blood bank setting, this is more than just lab samples, and you’ll draw entire bags of blood for donation.

Blood bank jobs are a great way to participate in the medical setting without some of the stresses of long workdays or low staffing. Depending on where you work, you may have to be on-call or work evening and weekend hours (especially if you’re affiliated with a hospital), or you may simply work in a nine-to-five setting.

In all cases, blood bank workers tend to make competitive salaries that range from $25,000 (for phlebotomists) to up to $50,000 or $60,000 (for technologists and supervisors). And because the work you do every day helps prepare for transfusions and other blood donation needs, you are an integral part of the health care community, helping to save lives every day.

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What it Means to Work in a Lab

Phlebotomy Career Resources

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Anesthesia Technician Training

Traditionally, anesthesia technicians are either nurse anesthetists or individuals trained on the job, so educational programs in the field are rare. However, it is a growing field, and more and more health care schools are offering programs that meet or exceed the requirements of the profession.

In most cases, you’ll need a two-year Associate degree in order to work as a technician. When you take a course from an accredited school, you’ll learn everything you need related to medical terminology, life support, medical calculations, and operating room equipment and supplies. Upon finishing the course, you are eligible to sit for the certification exam offered through the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT), the only accrediting body in the Anesthesia technology field to date.

Depending on your level of education and experience, you can gain one of three levels within the profession: anesthesia technician, certified anesthesia technician, or certified anesthesia technologist. These are ranked in order of education, pay, and responsibilities, with the top technologists earning up to $50,000 per year.

Why Become an Anesthesia Technician?

If you want a medical career with a shorter training period, anesthesia technician work is a good choice. Because you only have to be in school for a few years, you can get started working in your field right away. At the same time, this can be a great stepping stone for other health care careers, and you can move on to work as an anesthesia technologist, nurse anesthetist, or even an anesthesiologist with a full medical degree.

Because the degree programs are still fairly new, make sure you choose programs that are recognized by the ASATT or are otherwise endorsed by employers in your area. Whether you want to work in a hospital or a private surgical office, there are opportunities, and they could be yours in as little as one to two years!

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Advantages of a Health Care Career

Health Care Career Options

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In the United States, a medical biller/coder does not have to have a degree. There are no federal or state regulations requiring a degree or certification in order to work in the field, and many of the top professionals working today learned everything they know on the job.

Why Go to Medical Billing and Coding School?

While you don’t have to have a degree in order to work in medical billing and coding, there are some pretty large advantages to having the right eduction. Degree programs in the field range from certificates to 4 or even 6-year degrees, and the general rule is: the higher your education, the more money you’ll make.

This isn’t a guarantee, but those with advanced degrees are more likely to rise to positions of management than those without. If you intend to work in the field for some time, and would like to advance within the profession, education is your friend. And in many cases, the shorter vocational programs are on equal footing with the lengthier degree programs, at least in terms of what employers are looking for.

Of course, there are other professional goals to aspire for, as well. Once you have your education, you can become certified and/or registered through various accrediting bodies, which include:

• Professional Association of Health Care Coding Specialists (PAHCS)
• American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC)
• Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC)
• National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA)

How to Become a Medical Biller and Coder

If you’re interested in exploring this field, your best first step is to contact employers in your area. Talk to them about what they look for in candidates and tailor your education accordingly. If they have an apprenticeship program (or if they’ll pay for your school while you work for them), you may not need to start with a traditional education. If they indicate they always hire from a particular billing and coding school, you may want to look into that educational institution.

If, like most people, your end goal is gainful employment, research is the best way to get started on the right foot. By knowing what employers expect, you can move in that direction to save both time and money—and all with a great future in sight!

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Work-From-Home Health Care Jobs

Medical Billing & Coding Resources

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