Medical Assistant Jobs and Programs in Alabama – Schools, Salary, and License Info

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Alabama

Healthcare is as wide as an ocean.

If you look closely, you will see many ways to become someone who helps other people.

But as they say: ”Nothing worth having come easy”.

That’s why you need education.

To help you learn how to work and live in a way that is both honest and suitable.

To begin with, becoming a Medical Assistant in America is one of the many healthcare careers available.

However, before making a significant step in this profession you need to know how will you go there.

Soon enough, you need to know the place you want to start and grow in the profession.

And the answer to the last question is definitely Alabama.

There are many Medical Assistant schools.

But to enter any of them, you need to fulfill a few requirements.

The main requirements of this profession in this state are three:

• Completing an Accredited Program in Medical Assisting
• Earning a Nationally Recognized Credential and
• Learning More About Medical Assisting in Alabama

However, Medical Assisting is not a new profession in the Alabama healthcare field.

The Alabama Department of Labor so far has noted that 6,810 medical assistants working currently there.

This number of workers, in fact, makes a difference.

Especially, to the whole 50,000 healthcare supporters who work in the state in general.

Medical Assistants’ practices are not legally regulated by the state of Alabama.

But they are mentioned in terms of the practical nurse guidelines in general.

The guidelines, however, tell enough about the profession.

According to it, medical assistants in Alabama can change their medical orders.

They can turn from legally authorized prescribers into licensed practical nurses in a matter of a few procedures.

With the absence of their legal language, their work, however, is constantly supervised.

Even though their practical work is not prevented from undertaking any specific medical duty.

Their supervisors are usually competent professionals.

They are licensed physicians or licensed healthcare practitioners.

On the other hand, education is not a must to become a medical assistant in Alabama.

But attending and graduating from a medical national program that is certified is always the key to achieve more success in the field.

Here are some details on the first step.

Completion of an Accredited Program in Medical Assisting

In Medical Assisting, you can take a certificate, diploma or associate degree.

Either way, you choose.

The associate degree will mainly last two years.

While you will have to finish with the clinical experience as the last step of graduation in the field.

On the other hand, certified Medical Assisting programs take approximately one year to finish.

But what I would suggest to you in this matter, would be to attend a diploma program.

This program offers transferable credits.

So attending such a program would help you gain an associate’s degree if you want to in the near future.

Just like in other professional education, medical assisting program also require accreditation.

In fact, this element makes a program qualified the most.

In Alabama, for instance, you can find accrediting bodies.

The first one is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs.

While the second is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Through them, you will be sure to prepare for an entry-level medical assistant.

This security will provide you the necessary knowledge that you will need for the national examination for a certificate.

Just to let you know of the number of schools in the state, there are 12 accredited programs available.

They are accredited from the ABHES.

From them, you have two categories.

The first category includes 4 associate degree programs.

While the second category includes 8 diploma programs.

While 4 of additional programs are accredited by CAAHEP.

These are all associate degree programs.

Information to the Second step to become a Medical Assistant is written below.

Earning a Nationally Recognized Credential

Since there are not adequate requirements for Medical Assistant admission in Alabama, you need to make a way to show that you’re professionally prepared in the field.

So basically, you need a credential that is nationally known to prove that.

In the state, there are two widely recognized credentials to check for.

They are:

• The American Association of Medical Assistants(AAMA): Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)credential and
• American Medical Technologist’s (AMT) certification programs with the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential.

The CMA credential can be achieved through the AAMA.

You can do that by completing an accredited medical assisting program by CAAHEP and ABHES.

Along with that, you also need a practicum.

The CMA exam is to be taken 90 days before graduation from the program.

As a student of a MAP, you can apply for it as soon as you’re ready.

After the CMA application, a scheduling permit from AAMA will be sent to you.

With that, you will be able to set the exam schedule in any of the testing centers of Prometric.

American Medical Technologist’s (AMT) certification programs with the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential

The RMA exam

The RMA exam is the second you can take to become a Medical Assistant.

To take it, you need to have completed an approved medical assisting program.

The program needs to have approval from the U.S Department of Education.

Or the Council for Higher Education.

The program initially, must have 720 hours in Medical Assisting, as well as a clinical externship or minimally 160 hours.

These hours need to be had within the past 4 years.

The candidates’ qualifications can be done through experience.

Or else by completing a formal Medical Assistant training program.

This training can be taken by the U.S Armed Forces.

In addition, you may be also interested how will you take the exam.

Well, for testing, you need to visit the Pearson Vue Testing Centers.

Ass soon as you fulfill the necessary requirements, you can set the date, time and location where you would like to enter the exam.

The 3rd step will be described along in the following lines.

Learning More About Medical Assisting in Alabama

Being part of something means being continually part of its larger vision.

For this reason, being a member of the Alabama medical assistant association is a good idea.

You can become for instance member of the Alabama Chapter of the AAMA.

This way you will be informed of the latest news as well as in touch with other professionals in the field.

Alabama AAMA chapters mainly include:

• Central Alabama
• North Alabama
• Northeast Alabama
• North Central Alabama
• Southeast Alabama
• Northeast Alabama

Medical assistants work throughout Alabama’s largest medical groups, such as:

• Tanner Medical Group, Atlanta
• University of South Alabama Physician’s Group, Mobile
• Physician Network, Providence Hospital, Mobile
• Southview Medical Group, Birmingham

The Best Medical Assistant Schools in Alabama

There are five Medical Assistant Schools located in Alabama.

As a matter of criteria, the best schools have been chosen for this article.

And precisely, for you to consider and choose among.

Medical Assistant Salaries in Alabama

Medical Assistant Salaries in Alabama vary from many factors.

Mostly they depend on location, work experience, and qualification.

For this reason, this article has been given information that helps you aim high in the field.

Since the highest salaries always go to the most qualified employees.

Regional Salary in Alabama

Medical Assisting by State