Medical assistants who pursue professional development may do so for different reasons. Some pursue professional development to stay up-to-date and be prepared for their CMA (AAMA) recertification, which is required every 60 months.
Others pursue additional medical education courses so they can improve their skillset, continuously learning to ensure they are providing the best care possible to patients. They may also want to take on extra duties and potentially return to school in order to qualify for additional positions with greater responsibilities and income potential.
What Are the Continued Medical Education Requirements for Medical Assistants?
Medical assistants typically aren’t obligated to fulfill continuing medical education (CME) by the state since they work under the supervision of physicians or other healthcare providers. However, the American Association of Medical Assistants, the primary certifying board for medical assistants, requires recertification every 60 months.
In order to maintain their credentials, certified medical assistants must earn 60 CME credits within one year every five years. Half can be focused in administrative topics, clinical topics and general topics, while the other 30 must be evenly split between those three topic areas. Many medical assistants focus on the aspect that’s relevant to their current practicing career.
These may include:
Administrative Topics
- Medical coding and billing
- Medical office management
- Electronic health records (EHR) management
- Health insurance processing
Clinical Topics
- Patient assessment and examination techniques
- Phlebotomy and laboratory procedures
- Medication administration
- Diagnostic procedures
- Infection control and sterilization techniques
General Topics
- Medical ethics and legal issues
- Communication skills
- Patient education and support
- Cultural competency in healthcare
Certified medical assistants under less common associations, like the American Medical Technologists (AMT), must be recertified every three years by earning 30 certification continuation program points, while those with the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) only need to earn 10 points every two years.
You can also expand your skillset by exploring optional CME topics and tailoring your education to suit your career goals. These can include specialty courses, such as cardiology or pediatrics, or they may be more sophisticated alternatives to required credits, like advanced wound care or EHR training.
Career Paths for Medical Assistants
For medical assistants looking toward future career growth and more demanding positions within the healthcare field, there are many branching career paths you can take:
- Lead Medical Assistant: Lead medical assistants supervise other medical assistants, overseeing training and overall clinic operations. Many medical assistants can advance to this role by taking on extra duties, gaining experience and seeking additional management training.
- Specialized Medical Assistant: Specialized medical assistants serve specific areas of medicine, like cardiology or orthopedics. You’ll need to take specialized courses and potentially earn a separate degree to qualify.
- Medical Office Manager: Medical office managers oversee administrative operations, such as staff management and budgeting. Medical assistants may need a degree in healthcare administration to make themselves an ideal job candidate.
- Health Information Manager: Health information managers handle patient records, ensuring accuracy, security and providing overall quality control to critical facility data. Job seekers may benefit from pursuing a degree in health information management and earn certifications in medical billing and coding, like Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
- Nurse: Nurses provide a significantly broader scope of services than medical assistants and have more autonomy in providing patient care. Medical assistants looking to become nurses will need to enroll in an LPN program and pass the NCLEX. St. Louis College of Health Careers offers a reputable LPN program for aspiring nurses that’s flexible to their work schedule without compromising on the rigorous and thorough education you need to hit the ground running upon graduating. We also offer an LPN to RN program for nurses looking to advance into higher positions.
- Physician Assistant: Physician assistants (PAs) are licensed healthcare providers who, unlike medical assistants, focus more on treating patients with advanced conditions under the supervision of a physician than fulfilling entry-level administrative and clinical duties.
- Healthcare Educator: Educators train new healthcare professionals, including medical assistants, developing and administering training programs and providing continuing education to existing professionals. Professionals often require significant real-world clinical experience and a graduate degree to qualify for available positions.
- Healthcare Administrator: Healthcare administrators manage departments and even entire facilities, overseeing large-scale operations and ensuring efficiency. Most administrators earn a degree in healthcare administration and gain experience in management to advance to this role.
Get an Esteemed Medical Assistant Education With St. Louis College of Health Careers
The first step toward your dream health career starts with a dependable education – our programs will challenge you so you can feel prepared for your role. Call 866-529-2070 today to learn more and start your application.