Healthcare is one of the fastest growing professions, with over 650,000 jobs added in 2023 according to a report by Altarum. This was the most healthcare jobs added in over three decades.
One of the jobs with the most continued projected growth is medical assisting. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 15% increase in medical assisting jobs between 2023 and 2033, with about 118,000 expected to be added over that decade. [1]
But there are several other reasons why it’s the best time in decades to be a medical assistant.
Good Foundation for a Career in Healthcare
Becoming a medical assistant is a great way to begin a career in the medical field, as you will get all the clinical hours you need to pursue other positions later down the road. Medical assistants get experience in administrative work like maintaining electronic health records, scheduling patient appointments, and clinical work like taking vital signs, preparing patients for exams, and sometimes administering vaccines under a doctor’s supervision. You’ll also learn more about the insurance billing process, though sometimes this is handled by a medical biller. This hands-on experience is valuable as your Healthcare career progresses forward.
Potentially Growing Into Larger Roles
Building trust and confidence with the physicians and nurses that you work under will help you build your career. Through your hands-on experience, you will become more familiar with the processes in a medical office and may earn more responsibility as time goes forward. Your experience as a medical assistant can also be valuable if you decide to later go to nursing school.
Finding Purpose and Meaning in Helping Patients
Many medical professionals find meaning in improving the lives of their patients, even through the limited time they interact with them. Patients often face scary health situations, and having an understanding and compassionate medical team helps them through diagnosis and treatment. Medical workers sometimes find personal fulfillment in making their community a better place through their work with individual patients, making them feel relaxed and at ease.
Certified Medical Assistants Can Work Anywhere
Certification as a medical assistant can help you find a job anywhere you move. Every city has medical offices, and medical assistants are in demand, there is a shortage of qualified medical assistants. While it is possible to work without certification, most healthcare employers look for certified candidates, because their insurance requires everyone doing clinical work to be certified. Every area and job market needs medical assistants who are fully trained.
Having a medical assistant certification is also handy if you plan on going into healthcare administration as most of these positions require candidates to have clinical experience. Medical school also requires clinical hours, so working as a medical assistant is one way you can get that experience if your long-term goals are to practice medicine or work in advanced nursing.
Lastly, if you ever take time off from the job market, along with work experience, having a certification is handy, you can always go back to medical assisting if you need to start your career again. This experience is very valuable for your overall career.
Certification is Quick Compared to Degree Programs
Most medical assistant programs can be completed in less than a year. That means you can start your career, and get valuable experience with patients and start earning money. You don’t need two years to get a degree to become a fully certified medical assistant. The training is reasonably quick, without skimping on quality of training.
Now Is the Time to Become a Certified Medical Assistant
If you’re ready to begin your healthcare career, there’s never been a better time to become a medical assistant. Campus Sacramento, formerly MTI College, has a Medical Assisting training program that will help you become a medical assistant in about 36 weeks. We also have a Medical Assisting with Phlebotomy Certificate program that will help you earn your CPT I along with your NCMA medical assisting certificates in about 48 weeks. For more information, contact our friendly Admissions team or call us at 888-675-2460. We can answer any questions you have about curriculum, financial aid, and more.
[1] Note: The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with Campus, formerly known as MTI College, are for informational purposes only and represent the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to Campus graduates and, by providing the above information, Campus makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability.