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

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Florida

To become a medical assistant in Florida, you need to follow these steps:

• Completing a Medical Assistant Education Program in Florida
• Passing a Certification Examination
• Maintaining Your Medical Assistant Credential

As from the gathered statistics, Florida has the highest level of medical assistants employed in its areas in 2013.

The year numbered 39.030 employees in the state.

But this numbering did not stop.

Because the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projects even today the job increase from 22.4% during 2013 and 2021.

The state has a clear definition of what a medical assistant does at work.

In general, their work is supervised by a licensed physician.

However, the main duties set upon him are these:

• Perform dialysis procedures (includes home dialysis)
• Perform office and administrative duties and procedures
• Perform basic laboratory procedures
• Administer medication as a physician directs him or her to do
• Collect routine laboratory specimens as a physician directs him or her to do
• Operate office medical equipment
• Assist with patient treatments
• Assist with patient examinations
• Observe and report patient signs and symptoms
• Perform venipunctures and nonintravenous injections
• Prepare patients for a physician’s care
• Take vital signs
• Perform aseptic procedures

To work as a medical assistant, however, does not require any specialized education or training from the state.

But, it is for sure that employers hesitate to hire candidates who do not have any formal education or training at all.

Step 1. Completing a Florida Medical Assistant Education Program

Before choosing a medical assisting program in Florida, the student must check if it’s accredited or not.

In the state, there are two accrediting bureaus functioning, which students can contact for information.

The number of programs that are accredited is not little.

Below  you can see which programs are accredited from the particular accrediting body in Florida:

• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
  • Winter Park
  • Miami
  • Pensacola
  • Lake Worth
  • Davie
  • Bradenton
  • Naples Tallahassee
  • Eustis
  • Daytona Beach
  • Fort Pierce
  • Mulberry
  • St Augustine
  • Tampa
  • Orlando
  • Melbourne
  • Lakeland
  • Ocala

• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES):
  • Sebring
  • Boca Raton
  • Tampa
  • Pembroke Pines
  • Kissimmee
  • Brandon
  • Altamonte Springs
  • Jacksonville
  • Pensacola
  • Miami
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • Pompano Beach
  • Naples
  • Fort Myers
  • Port Charlotte
  • Miami Gardens
  • Orlando
  • Lakeland
  • Deland
  • West Palm Beach
  • Ocala
  • New Port Richey
  • Orange Park
  • Spring Hill
  • Fern Park
  • Port St Lucie
  • St Petersburg
  • Delray Beach

Courses that you will take in a medical assistant program and skills/competencies you will learn include:

• Therapeutic care
• Endocrinology/reproduction
• Laboratory procedures
• Cardiopulmonary procedures
• Medical insurance
• Health sciences
• Clinical assisting
• Pharmacology
• Patient care
• Communication

Besides education, practice is also immensely important to succeed in medical assisting.

The candidates can choose to take part in medical assisting practiced while working with trained medical professionals.

This way, they will be able to use their knowledge and skills in practice.

Possible internships that fit medical assisting in Florida are the following:

• Pulmonary Associates of St. Augustine – St. Augustine
• Titan Medical Center – Tampa
• Cleveland Clinic- Weston
• BayCare Health – Tampa
• Shands Healthcare – Gainesville
• Treasure Coast Urgent and Family Care – Stuart
• The Heart and Vascular Institute of Florida – Safety Harbor
• Women’s Care Florida- Winter Park
• Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center – Palm Beach Gardens
• Bayfront Health System-St Petersburg

The end result of your medical assistant program may be a certificate, diploma or degree, that may include:

• Diploma in Medical Assisting
• Diploma in Medical Assistant Technician
• Diploma in Medical Assistant with Basic X-Ray
• Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
• Associate of Science in Health Sciences – Medical Assistant
• Associate of Occupational Science in Medical Professional – Concentration in Medical Assisting

Step 2. Passing a Certification Examination

Certification in Medical Assisting is not a must to finding a job in Florida.

But it is an added value to employers since certified candidates will do better and be able to rise in their career in the future as well.

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

This credential is earned by passing the CMA Certification/Recertification Exam.

The exam is held at Prometric centers.

These centers are located in these areas of Florida:

• Jacksonville
• Gainesville
• Miami
• Boca Raton
• West Palm Beach
• Fort Myers
• Maitland
• Sarasota
• Tampa
• Temple Terrace

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) of the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

This credential is earned by passing the RMA Certification Exam.

The exam can be taken Pearson Vue test centers, which are located in these Florida cities:

• Altamonte Springs
• Orlando
• Tampa
• Sarasota
• Avon Park
• Ocala
• Naples
• Port St Lucie
• Fort Myers
• St Petersburg

Step 3. Maintaining Your Medical Assistant Credential

The journey of becoming a Medical Assistant in Florida is a bit long, but it is worth it.

After being done with the education, training, and practice, certification gives you the final embrace.

However, different credentials do not last forever.

They have an expiration date.

Hence CMAs must be renewed every 60 months.

In this matter are included payment for certification fee, retesting as well as finishing other additional education.

Choosing the latter, the credential holder must fulfill 60 recertification points in the upcoming five years.

While 30 points of them must be met from AAMA-approved continuing education units (CEUs).

The RMA credential, on the other hand, must be renewed every year.

Part of the renewal will also be continuing education with AMT’s Certification Continuation Program (CCP).

Apart from that, payment of a fee yearly is required as well.

Professional Organizations for Medical Assistants in Florida

Networking is a great way of being in touch with novelties and job prospects in every field.

And the same happens in the medical assisting network in Florida.

Joining the Florida State Society of American Medical Technologists as an RMA, for instance, is a good idea.

In this group, the candidate will be able to find job opportunities and grow professionally in the state.

Whereas, being a CMA in Florida means the certificate holder can join The Florida Society of Medical Assistants.

In this organization, the person will have the chance to find AAMA continuing education approved by the state, as well as be in touch with many medical professionals in his field.

The Best Medical Assisting Schools in Florida

There are many school options to consider when pursuing a Medical Assisting career in Florida.

However, as an aspiring student in the field, one should always choose an accredited program.

And of course, choose his own preferred program as well.

Medical Assisting Salaries in Florida

Medical Assisting Salary in Florida is really satisfying.

Its what tempt candidates to enter the field.

However, the salary can vary from many factors.

The key factor is the educational level.

So, the more qualified you are in your profession, the better the salary you will get.

Regional Salary in Florida

Medical Assisting by State