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

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Minnesota

The way to reach anything in life is through effort.

The effort in pursuing a Medical Assisting career path in Minnesota means following certain steps.

These steps are:

• Complete an Education in Medical Assisting
• Consider Testing for a National Credential
• Enter the Workforce in Minnesota

Before anything else, let’s see how the state defines medical assistants.

In Minnesota, Medical Assistants are considered unlicensed healthcare professionals.

They are in charge of doing a variety of medical instructional, financial, diagnostic, administrative and patient care tasks being directly supervised by a physician.

Some of these duties, as recognized by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development are:

• Preparing examination rooms for patients
• Cleaning and sterilizing instrument
• Performing laboratory tests
• Giving injections and treatments to patients
• Receiving payments
• Completing insurance forms
• Operating x-ray, EKG and other equipment for routine diagnostic tests
• Giving physiotherapy treatments, including galvanic, hydrotherapy, and diathermy
• Ordering medical supplies and materials
• Scheduling appointments
• Maintaining medical records

Step 1. Complete an Education in Medical Assisting

The first step to take towards a promising medical assisting career in Minnesota is enrolling a solid education inside the state.

According to the Minnesota Nurses Association, the role and the curriculum of the medical assistant are clearly known.

For instance, its role is to generally offer general assistance from the office.

Its role is far from rising any conflict between the roles of the number of licensed professionals at the same time.

As such, educational preparation for medical assistants in Minnesota is often focused on:

• Communication
• Legal concepts
• Instruction
• Operational tasks
• Roles, functions, and responsibilities in the clinic
• Patient care tasks under the direct supervision of a physician
• Diagnostic procedures
• Administrative procedures
• Practice finance

In the state, medical programs are evaluated in terms of accreditation.

The most widely known national organizations in the state are two.

The first is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (ACCHEP).

While the second is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

In two of them, diploma, certificate and two-year associate degree programs are accredited.

These programs, however, vary in length and in terms of clinical and administrative studies.

However, they are created to prepare skilled and competent entry-level medical assistants.

All of them, by the end, culminates with a clinical externship.

This externship prepares students to use their skills and knowledge in a real-world environment.

From the CAAHEP programs, 19 are accredited.

While 15 of them are ABHES.

Apart from there, there is also a host of associate degree programs (A.S. and A.A.S.) which are accredited by ABHES in Minnesota.

Many of these programs are blended programs that offer both on-site and distance coursework.

Step 2. Consider Testing for a National Credential

Certification is a voluntary step to the medical assisting title.

However, national certification is a requirement from the employers.

Options for voluntary national certification include:

• The American Association of Medical Assistants: Certified Medical Assistant Credential
• American Technologists: Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
• National Center for Competency Testing: The National Certified Medical Assistant
• National Healthcare Association: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
• The American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants: Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified
• The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel In Ophthalmology: Certified Ophthalmic Assistant

Apart from so many credentials, still, the CMA and RMA credentials are the major ones in the Minnesota healthcare industry.

To qualify for the CMA exam, the candidate needs to complete prior a CAAHEP or ABHES program.

Whereas qualifying for the RMA exam, is possible by completing a medical assisting program with 720 clock hours and a clinical externship of 160 hours as well.

Step 3. Enter the Workforce in Minnesota

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development the number of medical assistants employed in Minnesota is 9,080.

This is the estimated number for the first quarter of 2014.

The most concentrated number of medical assistant there was the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area (6,630).

One way to enter the workforce in the state is to become a member of the Minnesota Society of Medical Assistants.

Medical assistant jobs in Minnesota can be found throughout a number of settings, such as hospitals, physician groups, and ambulatory care centers.

Therefore, you may begin your job search by identifying some of the largest medical groups and hospital systems in the state, such as:

• University of Minnesota Physicians, Minneapolis
• Duluth Clinic, Duluth
• Allina Health Medical Clinic, Coon Rapids
• Park Nicollet Clinic, Burnsville
• Mayo Clinic, Rochester
• Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis
• Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids
• University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis
• Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud
• North Memorial Hospital, Robbinsdale
• Johns Hospital, St. Paul
• Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina

The Best Medical Assisting Schools in Minnesota

Minnesota is home to over 20 medical assisting schools.

Its programs are accredited from different accrediting organizations.

Programs are usually mandatory to attend.

In them, you will be able to get various degrees, depending on your choice.

Minnesota Medical Assisting Salaries

Medical assisting job prospect is developed in Minnesota.

The salary usually shifts from a minimum to a maximum.

While an average overall state is always constant.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Minnesota

Medical Assisting by State