Requirements

• There are no states that require medical assistants to be certified or have licenses. In some cases, the only minimum requirement for employment is a high-school diploma or GED, although some employers may opt for applicants who have pursued post-secondary education in medical assisting through a technical school or community college option. Most programs last from one year (certificate) to two years (associate degree). Getting an education in medical assisting is not the same as certification, though it is required for certification, and neither education nor certification automatically guarantees employment.
  
  

Helpful Coursework

• Medical assistants who want to separate themselves from the candidate pool and gain training and education in their field may enroll in one of the hundreds of medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. As of January 2011, 419 programs existed across the country. While in programs such as Broward College's medical assisting certificate, students cover topics such as basic life support, prevention of medical errors, basic lab procedures, introduction to medical assisting, radiography, administrative office procedures, electrocardiography, pharmacology, domestic violence and hazards training.
  
  

Certification Options

• Although optional, medical assistants may pursue certification, as employers may base hiring or salaries on these designations. Both the American Association of Medical Assistants and American Medical Technologists award certification, which requires a number of hours or years of experience in the field, exams and continuing education courses.
  
  

Financial Possibilities

• Because certification is not required for the medical assisting field, it wasn't included in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' report on wages. In 2009, the BLS reported the average salary for medical assistants was $29,450 nationwide. The BLS noted several states paying significantly higher salaries for medical assistants, although it did not note whether certifications played a part. The District of Columbia led the country, with salaries in the field of $37,790. Alaska placed second, paying its medical assistants $36,400 annually. Massachusetts came in third, with salaries of $34,490 per year.