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

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Texas

It’s impossible to come to Texas, and leave without finding something useful in it.

You can find there many things, such as love, a home or a job.

However, one thing is certain.

You will always find what you’re looking for.

This time, the article will explore medical assisting opportunities in Texas.

So, let’s focus.

Whenever things are not regulated legally, they fall into the hands of specific people.

So medical assisting in Texas is one of these things.

The set of requirements needed to find a job are set from the employers.

Because of this fact, candidates with qualifications versus those without them are from different perspectives at work.

To become a highly qualified medical assistant job candidate in Texas, complete these steps:

• Make Yourself into a Competitive Medical Assistant Job Candidate
• Pursue Employment as a Medical Assistant in Texas
• Maintain Your Medical Assistant Qualifications

With legal regulations in medical assisting, in Texas, employers make sure they set the minimum requirements and qualifications to hire good candidates.

These employers are usually physicians.

On the other hand, the medical assistant does not receive licenses, certifications or other credentials through legal ways.

According to Texas law, physicians may employ medical assistants according to the following rules:

• Physicians may delegate tasks to medical assistants who are qualified and properly trained, as determined by the physician
• The physician must supervise the medical assistant and maintain responsibility for all tasks performed
• Tasks that are delegated to medical assistants must be reasonable and prudent in the judgment of the delegating physician
• The medical assistant’s tasks must be able to be properly and safely performed, while also being carried out in a typical manner
• Medical assistants must not represent themselves to the public or patients as being authorized to practice medicine
• Medical assistants are authorized to administer drugs under these conditions

These rules are commonly followed by medical assistants in the state.

However, not all qualifications are included in this guideline.

This way, employers set their own minimum requirements for hiring medical assistants.

Step 1. Make Yourself into a Competitive Medical Assistant Job Candidate

Some of the most commonly preferred medical assistant qualifications are:

• Experience working in the medical assistant field, in medical offices, or in a general office environment
• Graduation from a medical assistant training program in Texas
• Graduation from a medical assistant school with an associate’s of science degree
• Medical assistant certification that results in credentials like:

• • Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
  • Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
  • Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)

Earning a Degree

A degree in medical assisting is essential in establishing the foundation of a career in the field.

And Texas is home to these schools, so nothing to worry about.

The only thing that matters is the school’s accreditation.

As a key element to the quality of education, you need to choose a school that offers such programs.

Also, accreditation is the shortest way to go for national certification as well.

The most well-known accrediting organizations that accredit medical assisting programs in the state are:

• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

In an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program, you can expect to take courses such as:

• Health care communication and medical terminology
• Medical assisting clinical and laboratory procedures
• Medical reception and office management
• Electronic medical assistant procedures and medical office software
• Patient electronic health record
• Medical insurance billing and coding
• Anatomy and physiology
• Pharmacology
• Medical office emergency procedures
• Medical assisting internship or practicum

The end of a medical assisting program is the beginning of the search for other credentials in Medical assisting.

The programs, of course, need to be accredited from CAAHEP or ABHES.

After that, you will be free to pursue CMA, RMA and NRCMA credentials.

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

This is the first most frequently applied for a credential in the US.

It can be earned by sitting for the CMA exam.

I know you all hesitate to take one, but it’s inevitable!

The credential, as always is sponsored by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

While the exam consists of 200 questions which you are given 160 minutes time to answer.

The questions cover a variety of topics such as:

• General subjects
• Clinical subjects
• Administrative subjects

To take the CMA exam, you can apply online.

While the test itself will be taken at testing centers across Texas.

These centers are mainly located in these areas:

• 2 testing centers in the San Antonio area
• 3 testing centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
• 1 testing center in Austin
• 1 testing center in Lubbock

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

This credential is second to pursue in Texas after CMA.

It is earned through the help of the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

The eligibility for RMA is a previous CMA in the first place.

Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)

This credential is sponsored from the National Association of Health Professionals (NAHP)

Eligibility for the CMA credential also confers eligibility for the NRCMA credential.

However, to obtain this you will also need to pass an exam first.

After completing the required education, complete a NAHP exam through an application form.

Step 2. Pursue Employment as a Medical Assistant in Texas

The job prospect is quite satisfying in the state.

Recent statistics show that 52,380 medical assistants currently work throughout Texas.

Medical assistants are mostly concentrated in the state’s urban areas as shown here:

• 13,920 in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington greater metropolitan area
• 13,410 in the greater Houston metropolitan area
• 10,250 in the greater Dallas metropolitan area
• 5,600 in the San Antonio area
• 3,680 in the Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area
• 3,230 in the greater Austin metropolitan area
• 1,970 in El Paso
• 1,970 in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area
• 960 in Corpus Christi
• 870 in the Brownsville area
• 770 in the Fort Hood area
• 760 in Lubbock
• 660 in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area
• 590 in Amarillo
• 530 in Laredo
• 530 in Tyler

Examples of qualifications for medical assistant jobs in Texas were recently published in the following sampling of vacancy announcements from throughout the state:

• A recent medical assistant job description from a pediatric health center in Fort Worth was searching for a medical assistant who had completed a medical assistant or nurse assistant training program

• Mainland Primary Care in Texas City was recently seeking a medical assistant with the following preferred qualifications:

• • Graduate of a medical assisting program
  • One year of work experience in a clinical setting or physician’s office
  • Holder of a CMA credential

• North Austin Maternal-Fetal Medicine was recently advertising for a medical assistant with the following preferred qualifications:

• • CMA credential
  • Graduate of a medical assistant program
  • CPR certification
  • At least one year of related work experience

• The Community Action Corporation of South Texas recently sought a medical assistant who had, at a minimum, a current and valid medical assistant certification as well as prior experience working in a medical office

• The North Central Baptist Hospital in San Antonio recently posted a recruitment ad searching for a graduate of a medical assistant training program

One way to make research in medical assisting in Texas is by joining any professional organizations.

Such an organization can be the Texas Society of Medical Assistants (TSMA).

Through this organization, you can find information related to legislative changes that affect medical assistants, job opportunities, and upcoming training or education events.

Step 3. Maintain Your Medical Assistant Qualifications

Maintenance and continuing education requirements in Texas are set from employers.

And that’s not a surprise.

We’ve been used to see that in all US states.

Initially, to maintain these credentials (CMA, RMA, NRCMA) you need to do these things:

• A CMA credential is valid for 60 months, and to renew this you can either retake the CMA Exam or earn 60 re-certification points. At least half of these should be from AAMA –approved continuing education courses

• To maintain an RMA credential you need to complete 30 Certification Continuing Program (CCP) points every three years. You will also need to maintain an annual membership with the AMT at a cost of $50 per year.

• To renew the NRCMA credential you must hold a valid and current CPR card and finish at least two Class A Continuing Education Units (CEUs) each year. You also need to maintain an annual membership with the NAHP. During your first year of holding the NRCMA credential, you are exempt from completing these requirements.

Apart from these methods, one way to maintain medical assistant qualifications is through continuing education, through college courses related to the field.

These courses are most fit for CMA, RMA and NRCMA credentials.

However, a degree in medical assisting should not be neglected either.

This can be a bachelor’s degree in medical sciences, with a focus on the field.

The Best Medical Assisting Schools in Texas

Texas is one of the US states with a record number of medical assisting schools.

There are 98 schools located in its areas-which is an advantage.

But also a challenge.

And you know why.

It’s harder to choose from many than from fewer options.

However, once you have a preferred program, it’s easier to decide.

You can choose to also see the bright side, having so many options to consider as well.

Medical Assisting Salaries in Texas

Texas seems to be home to medical assisting.

With so many schools, there is surely enough space for employers as well.

However, the salary will depend on various factors.

The majority of them will depend on the employee’s qualifications.

While the place is a secondary one.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Texas

Medical Assisting by State