Earning a medical assistant certification at Pima Medical Institute has many benefits for people looking to get into the healthcare field. You can use the program as a stepping stone toward other medical roles as well as gain experience helping others. The bonus is it only takes nine months to complete, getting you working in the medical field quickly. While many people want to enter the workforce with a high salary, the reality is, you will need to gain experience. With more experience often comes salary increases as well.
So, what exactly does a medical assistant make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a medical assistant’s median annual salary is $34,800 or $16.73 hourly. Keep in mind that salaries are different depending on where you work as well as the amount of experience you have.
So, just how does a medical assistant gain experience when they’ve just completed their program? This is a very common question and rightfully so. Toward the end of Pima Medical’s program, students are required to complete an externship that includes 200 clinical hours. Some students receive job offers during their externships and can begin working as soon as they have completed the program. For others, the career services team is ready to assist with job placement and to provide other resources. If you’re still having trouble, the best thing to do is stay persistent. Keep applying on job sites like LinkedIn and Indeed and stay in constant contact with your career services team.
What types of places can a medical assistant apply to? There are a variety of places medical assistants can work, and when you’re just starting out, it’s best to get as much experience as you can. Once you’ve earned that valuable on-the-job experience you, can begin applying to places you think you might be happiest.
Here’s a list of some of the places you can apply to:
In the medical assistant program, you will be able to practice your skills with your classmates.- Hospitals
- Physicians’ offices, such as family care practitioners, women’s health and pediatrics
- Specialty clinics, such as plastic surgeons, orthopedics and gastroenterology specialists
- Outpatient medical facilities
- Colleges and universities
- Medical research centers
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Insurance carriers
- Nursing care facilities
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for medical assistants will grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The growth of the aging baby-boom population will continue to increase demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by physicians. As a result, physicians will hire more assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.
If you’re ready to start working in a rewarding healthcare career quickly to gain experience and see where it can take you, becoming a medical assistant could be a great choice for you. Learn more now at pmi.edu.
