How much money medical assistants make varies depending on numerous factors.
It includes their education level, years of experience, location/cost of living, and occupation.
Most medical assistants in the United States can expect a salary of roughly $36,960 per year, according to Herzing.edu.
That comes out to approximately $17,75 hourly.
Nevertheless, income ranges between $27k – 51k per year or about $15 – $29 per hour.
As with most jobs, a medical assistant’s salary will increase as they gain more experience and responsibilities.
The medical assistant career is a secure field that provides a decent living wage compared to other jobs.
Factors Affecting a Medical Assistant’s Salary:
- State salary expectations
- Experience and education
- Negotiated salary
- Overtime and bonuses
- Full-time / part-time status
- Career and employment opportunities available within the area
Earning a Higher Income
Medical assistants that wish to increase their income and advance in the healthcare field can choose to take one of several routes.
Firstly, medical assistants can remain in their field and take a managerial/supervisor role if offered by the healthcare facility/office.
Supervisors and managers have the opportunity to train, shape, and motivate the administrative team.
They also help improve the workflow of the office/building and provide leadership/mentorship for other workers.
Cross-Training
Alternatively, medical assistants can cross-train in other areas of administrative work.
For instance, a medical assistant can obtain medical billing and coding training.
It allows them to perform more duties in the workplace and potentially increase their salary.
Being cross-trained also helps secure a job more efficiently and allows employees to negotiate a higher wage based on their knowledge and work capacity.
Allied Health Management
Medical assistants can earn a bachelor’s degree in allied health management.
This career path opens new avenues for those who want to take their education and training to the next level.
In this case, an accredited school will help medical assistants earn a degree to take on roles as administrative assistants, supervisors, department heads, and even chief executive officers.
Nursing
Finally, the nursing field offers numerous advancement and career diversity opportunities.
Those who move into nursing work as CNAs, LPNs, or registered nurses.
Moreover, registered nurses can specialize in over 1oo distinct career specialties.
Other Technical Positions
In addition to the career paths mentioned above, here are a few other careers medical assistants may choose to pursue.
Medical assistants may earn a certification/diploma as a:
- EKG technician
- X-ray technician
- Diagnostic medical sonographer
- Medical technologist
Each career offers unique opportunities to advance and learn new skills.
Getting Certified
One of the easiest and fastest ways for a medical assistant to earn a higher salary and secure a quicker job is to take a certification exam and become certified.
While the certification exam is optional, those who acquire their certification prove they have received adequate training as a medical assistant.
Many healthcare facilities prefer to hire medical assistants who have passed the certification exam.
The certification ensures that the medical assistant is trained appropriately and can handle their tasks.
And, of course, how much medical assistants make per year depends on their education and training.
The medical assistants who earn the highest wages take advantage of the educational/training opportunities available.
It allows them to move into more diverse roles and advance in their career or transition to a new profession.
Work Schedule
Because most medical assistants work in a clinical setting, it is safe to assume that they work within the parameters of a clinical schedule.
Most medical assistants can expect to work a standard 40-hour workweek (8 hours a day) and operate within the facility’s hours.
For instance, a medical assistant who works in a physician’s office may work Monday thru Saturday between 7 am – 6 pm.
Nevertheless, medical assistants who work for a hospital or urgent care center likely work more sparse or irregular hours.
These facilities operate on a 24/7 schedule and require medical staff always to be available.
Medical Assistant Overview
A medical assistant is non-licensed medical personnel responsible for administrative and clinical tasks within a healthcare facility.
Medical assistants play an essential role in the healthcare system by using their clinical and administrative expertise to help physicians and medical professionals focus on other essential tasks.
In short, they eliminate many clinical/administrative duties that would otherwise take up valuable time.
Most medical assistants often work under the supervision of a physician or other healthcare professional.
However, they work in various healthcare settings like outpatient care centers, long-term care facilities, urgent care centers, ambulatory care services, and hospitals.
As a result, other qualified supervisors may oversee their actions and performance.
Duties and Obligations
The Tasks a medical assistant is assigned to perform varies depending on their employer’s needs.
However, they are generally responsible for keeping track of medical records, setting up appointments, assisting patients with forms and paperwork, running the reception desk, answering phone calls, and handling billing.
They also doctors and nurses, clean medical equipment, gather patient medical histories, collect bodily fluid samples and specimens, measure vital signs, and perform other tasks needed in the facility.
Overall, medical assistants manage a diverse range of responsibilities, including:
Clinical Responsibilities
- Explain standard procedures
- Assist the physician during patient examinations
- Measure, monitor, and record patient vitals
- Collect bodily fluid samples such as urine and saliva
- Prepare and handle medical equipment and tools
Administrative Responsibilities
- Operate clinical computer programs/applications
- Answer phone calls
- Greet patients
- Schedule medical appointments
- Update and maintain patient medical records
- Manage coding and billing (if properly trained)
- Assist patients with medical forms
- Handle and perform bookkeeping (if properly trained)
Those who wish to become medical assistants must be well-organized, have a positive attitude, and adjust to constantly changing situations.
Being an excellent medical assistant isn’t just about managing the office’s day-to-day operations.
Because medical assistants work directly with patients, they must be compassionate, caring, patient, and open-minded when communicating with others.
Medical assistants also need to maintain a solid professional presence and respect the patient’s privacy they serve.
Career Outlook
Job growth for the healthcare profession will grow significantly over the next ten years.
Growing economies and an aging baby boomer population mean more jobs for those who either work as or want to become medical assistants.
Numerous healthcare static providers report job growth estimates ranging from 25% to 35% percent over the next decade.
Medical assistants make up a large portion of the clinical employment population.
As the medical assistant field grows, it will offer new career advancement opportunities and diverse career choices.
By cross-training in additional disciplines like medical billing and coding, administrative management, and other interdisciplinary practices, medical assistants can continue to grow within their careers.
Eventually, they can transition into more specialized roles, providing opportunities to earn a higher salary and shift into more responsible positions.