One of the many considerations when deciding upon a career is the starting and future salary. In order to understand what makes up the salary for medical assistant and the certified medical assistant salary it is important to clearly grasp medical assistant duties and what all constitutes the medical assistant career.
The medical assistant career covers many different duties. Medical assistants play an important role in any medical office, clinic or hospital setting. They perform many tasks that keep the offices of medical professionals such as chiropractors, physicians, and podiatrists running smoothly. They must carry out duties that are both administrative and clinical in nature. If they are a part of a large staff they may be certified to specialize in a particular field of medicine such as obstetrics. Medical assistants cannot examine patients, diagnose or treat patients. They do complete many clerical tasks that non-medical office staffs perform such as answering phones, filing paperwork, completing important billing and bookkeeping paperwork and ordering supplies. The clinical duties that a medical assistant performs may include taking medical histories, taking and recording vital signs, prepare patients for examinations and procedures, assisting physicians or other medical professionals during examinations, prepare laboratory specimens, sterilize medical equipment, prepare and administer medications, call in prescriptions to the pharmacy and draw blood or give immunizations if certified to do so.
The salary for medical assistant reflects the varied duties they are asked to perform. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010 – 11 Edition, the earnings of medical assistants can vary due to experience, the skill level of the individual, and the location of the medical setting. It lists an hourly wage between $9.98 and $19.21 with $13.77 being the median rate of pay. In 2009 medical assistants earned annual mean wage of $29,810 when working at physician offices, $30,830 when working at general medical or surgical hospitals, $26,490 when working at other health practitioner offices, $29,830 when working at outpatient care centers and $30,850 when working out of colleges, universities, or professional schools.
The certified medical assistant (CMA) salary, according to PayScale.com updated April 28, 2011, has a national hourly rate of between $9.84 and $16.73. The pay rate is based on experience, skill and time on the job. In order to achieve this level of pay it is necessary to be certified in a 1 or 2 year program. Many local vocational schools, junior colleges and community colleges offer medical assisting certificate programs.
When considering a medical assistant job or whether to be certified in medical assisting it is important to look up current salary information for the location, and type of office you will be working in. Certification seems to make a difference when it comes to duties but not much when it comes to salary according to the current PayScale.com data and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Keep in mind that your experience, skill level, location and medical setting will determine your pay rate.
