{"id":179,"date":"2023-05-09T17:09:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T00:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scholarsacademy.kaiserpermanente.org\/alliedhealthscholars\/?page_id=179"},"modified":"2025-01-02T12:41:51","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T20:41:51","slug":"medical-assistant","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/scholarsacademy.kaiserpermanente.org\/alliedhealthscholars\/career-pathways\/medical-assistant\/","title":{"rendered":"Medical Assistant"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row css_animation=”fadeIn” full_width=”stretch_row_content” full_height=”yes” columns_placement=”bottom” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” wpex_post_thumbnail_bg=”true” el_class=”event-intro bg-mid-blue bg-dark” el_id=”image-large-1″][vc_column css_animation=”none”][vc_row_inner columns_right=”yes” el_class=”details”][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeInUpBig”]\n

Medical Assistant<\/h1>\n

Medical assistants are allied health professionals and essential members of the clinical team.[\/vc_column_text]Learn more<\/span><\/a> Careers<\/span><\/a> FAQs<\/span><\/a> [\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”slideInRight” full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” full_height=”yes” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” el_class=”header-imagebg header-imagebg-rt” css=”.vc_custom_1683140762719{background-image: url(https:\/\/scholarsacademy.kaiserpermanente.org\/alliedhealthscholars\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/1419342620_Getty_RF_HiRes_RetrictedUse-NonKPMedicalPersonnel-scaled.jpg?id=134) !important;}” el_id=”overview” wpex_bg_position=”left”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”slideInUp” width=”1\/2″][vc_row_inner content_placement=”bottom” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true”][vc_column_inner el_class=”boxed”][vc_column_text]What does a medical assistant do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Medical assistants are an important part of the clinician team, typically working under the supervision and direction of a physician. Medical assistants are assigned tasks such as scheduling appointments, updating medical records, taking vital signs and medical histories from patients, drawing blood, and preparing patients for medical visits.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”slideInLeft” full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” full_height=”yes” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” el_class=”header-imagebg header-imagebg-rt” css=”.vc_custom_1683149152436{background-image: url(https:\/\/scholarsacademy.kaiserpermanente.org\/alliedhealthscholars\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/1347157258_Getty_RF_HiRes_RetrictedUse-NonKPMedicalPersonnel-scaled.jpg?id=139) !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”boxed”][vc_column_text]Timeline:<\/strong> Most employers <\/span>require<\/span> a high school diploma, and many require the completion of a reputable medical <\/span>assisting<\/span> program. Finding a program with MAERB (Medical Assisting Education Review Board) accreditation would be a good first step. Depending on the program and externship hours, this can range from a couple of months to two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Career advancement: <\/strong>Medical<\/span><\/span> assistants may advance their <\/span>careers<\/span> by expanding into other health careers such as <\/span>nursing or<\/span> earning a bachelor’s degree in health career subjects like healthcare administration or management. An education can help lead the way to a position as a health care administrator, patient financial advisor, or clinic manager.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Outlook:<\/strong> Nationally, the employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 16% percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all <\/span>occupations<\/span><\/span>[<\/span>1]<\/span><\/span><\/a>. In California, medical assisting jobs are expected to grow 20% between 2018-2028 (an increase of 19,000 jobs. Nationally, the median annual wage for medical assistants was $37,190 in May 2021<\/span><\/span>1<\/span><\/span><\/sup> and in California, the median annual wage in 2021 was $41,342.<\/span><\/span>[2]<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>For more information about training programs, please visit the California Employment Development Department website<\/a> our <\/span><\/span>Resources<\/span><\/span><\/a> page.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Educational Institutions:<\/strong> Here are a few academic institutions that offer programs for medical assisting.<\/p>\n