How do one become a "Medical Assistant?" What kind of education and training, license is needed. Can someone help me and let me know. Thanks.

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CYL, Compassion MD
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"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select -- doctor, lawyer, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors." (1930)
by John B. Watson (1878-1958)

There are a lot of "Certificate" courses out there. I don't think they are very long. You learn to do vital signs, draw blood etc. I know in my area there are a few schools like "Medix" that offer the courses.

Medical Assistant Dental Assistant Training School

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DISCLAIMER: I have no financial stake in ValueMD, or any medical school.

2 routes to becoming a MA. 1 the cheap route or 2 the expensive route. You decide!

Rutgers University has a MA course online for free but if you want the certificate, you have to pay after completion of the 8 modules, about $300.
You definitely should get some training in drawing blood (Phlebotomy) and taking vitals/triage. It would be interesting to see how accepted this program is. I know that Rutgers is a fine university!

Rutgers Skill Certification Center.


As far as licensure is concerned, you have to check with the state you live in. I believe Medical Assistants are only certificated and therefore work under the healthcare provider's license. Also, CPR certification is required!

In summary, the steps to become a MA are:

1. Buy a used textbook on Medical Assisting. Checkout Amazon.com: Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Competencies (Medical Assisting: Admin & Clin Competencies ( Keir)): Books: Lucille Keir,Barbara Wise,Connie Krebs

2. Take a CPR course, recommend BLS from American Heart Association or CPR from American Red Cross

3. Take Rutgers online course

4. Enroll in a Phlebotomy certification course (about 300 to 500 dollars depending where you are)

5. Learn how to take vital signs
1. heart rate (pulses) 2. Blood Pressure 3. weight 4. Temperature 5. Respiratory rate 6. Oxygen saturation 7. Pain on 0 to 10 scale. You can probably do this by volunteering in a nursing home or ER.

6. See if you can get a job or if a family practice or peds office will give you an externship (work for free for a month) to get hands on experience.

or

Pay 10,000 dollars to go to a Medical Assistant school so you can get a 9 to 12 dollar an hour job anyway.

Also buy yourself a stethoscope and a Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff)

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It really depends on where you train as a Medical Assistant (M.A.). The Medical Assistants that train in Africa for example, are not the same as what Technical Institutes in North America, like Herzing Inst. train. NO!

The M.As in Africa train for 3 years. Their job description is like that of PAs in North America. The M.A program however, is being phased out and replaced with the Clinical Officer (C.O.) Program in most countries, in that part of the world, for the next number of years.

In North America, it depends on where you train and where you practice. But certainly not as PAs.

FOR EXAMPLE: AT ST. AUGUSTINE, THEY SAY(visit their website):

• Medical assistant program that is accredited, affordable and accessible
• medical assistant certificate in just 6-8 weeks with online training
• Specialize in a promising career through medical assistant education
• The best medical assistance program designed by qualified healthcare professionals

IN AFRICA THIS IS NOT AN ONLINE PROGRAME: It is College/Medical School based training where basic sciences are done in first year then clinical sciences in 2nd & 3rd year while doing clinical rotations in hospital. AND they do diagnosis & treatment (prescribe)...this is their main job description.

In "misleading concepts as this" REMEMBER to always ask, where did you train? What does it mean to be ......? What do you do?

That is if WE really want to know.

Magen-MD

On the upper right navbar menu of the Medical Assistants portal, you will find a menu tree titled "Other Medical Assistant Pages". There you will find much of the information you are seeking

1. Medical Assistants Portal
2. Medical Assistants Description
3. Medical Assistants Training
4. Medical Assistants Job Outlook
5. Medical Assistants Earnings
6. Medical Assistant Dutie

Best of luck in your studies!

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Site Administrator

i think for being a medical assistant you should search for a good medical school near your place..

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