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

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Utah

Being checked after can be stressful.

But when the right people check you, you feel safe.

And that’s the purpose of medicine, after all.

To prepare individuals who will become the source of safety for other people.

In Utah, medical assistants are hired by supervising physicians.

While being one in the state is a matter of following these steps:

• Meet Medical Assistant Job Qualifications in Utah
• Consider National Certification (CMA, RMA or NRCMA)
• Pursue a Job in Utah’s Medical Assisting Field
• Maintain and Enhance Your Medical Assistant Skills

In Utah, medical assistants are defined as unlicensed individuals who perform their duties under the indirect supervision of a licensed physician.

He is responsible for all medical actions medical assistant performs.

Medical assistants:

• Must abide by the normal standards and ethics associated with the tasks they are delegated
• May only be delegated tasks that are appropriate
• Abstain from doing any of the following activities:

• • Diagnosing
  • Advising
  • Independently treating
  • Prescribing medication
  • Administering non-localized anesthesia

Since they are not licensed, medical assistants do not receive any legal certification, licensure and education requirements to practice the profession in the state.

Anyway, these issues are regulated in the private sector, as different employers set their own hiring requirements upon them as they see fit.

Step 1. Meet Medical Assistant Job Qualifications in Utah

All medical assistant jobs in Utah require at least a high school diploma or equivalent and you must be legally employable, meaning:

• At least 18 years of age
• Have no significant criminal history
• Have the right to work in the United States

Aside from these minimum requirements, employers of medical assistants will often require or prefer at least one of the following qualifications:

• Graduation from a medical assistant training program in Utah
• An associate’s of science degree from any number of medical assistant schools in Utah
• A credential such as the following from a medical assistant certification program:

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

Obviously, every employer has its own hiring requirements and preferences for medical assistants in Utah.

To get these requirements, however, is not hard.

You can start with graduation from a medical assisting program in the state.

As a result, the candidate will be able to pursue other types of certifications.

These credentials are mostly offered from these organizations:

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

And I should let you know that Utah is home to at least eight programs that are accredited by these organizations.

The medical assistant program there has different courses as part of their curriculum.

These courses cover these areas of medical assisting:

• Office computer literacy for a medical assistant
• English, writing, and medical terminology for medical assistants
• Anatomy and physiology
• Medical office administrative procedures
• Medical assistant pharmacology
• Medical assistant clinical procedures
• Medical insurance billing and coding
• Workplace relationships and psychology for health care professionals
• Medical internship, practicum, or externship

Step 2. Consider National Certification (CMA, RMA or NRCMA)

After the medical assistant program completion, the candidate can apply for a CMA, RMA and NRCMA credentials.

But previously, the program must be CAAHPE or ABHES accredited.

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

The CMA credential can be taken from the American Association of Medical Assistants in Utah.

The credential comes after passing the CMA exam in the first place.

The test will mainly test the candidate’s knowledge and skills learned through the medical assisting program.

The test covers these areas of knowledge:

• General subjects
  • Psychology, communication, and professionalism
  • Medical law, ethics, and regulatory guidelines
  • Risk management, quality assurance, and safety
  • Medical terminology

• Administrative subjects
  • Medical reception and office finances
  • Patient advocacy
  • Medical business practices and appointment scheduling
  • Creation of medical records

• Clinical subjects
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Patient intake
  • Infection control
  • Processing and collecting specimens
  • Diagnostic testing
  • Emergency management and first aid

The CMA test containing 200 multiple-choice questions.

It takes 160 minutes to finish it.

The candidate can register online for the exam.

While the test will be taken in Prometric testing centers everywhere in Utah:

• In Orem at 350 South 400 West, Suite 250
• In Salt Lake City at 201 South 1460 East, 490 Student Services Building
• Near Salt Lake City in Taylorsville at 5500 South Redwood Road, Suite 201

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

The RMA is the second credential one can receive it Utah.

The credential is made possible through the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

The way to receive this credential is through earning a CMA in the first place.

Once you have earned a CMA you can also apply with the AMT to become a Registered Medical Assistant.

Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)

The NRCMA credential is the third credential medical assistants can receive in Utah.

This credential can be taken through the help of the National Association of Health Professionals (NAHP).

The process begins with completing an application form, as well as follow the instructions from the association further.

Step 3. Pursue a Job in Utah’s Medical Assisting Field

Utah has a good perspective on medical assisting jobs.

There are currently 6,920 medical assistants working in its areas.

They all offer medical services throughout the state.

And mostly, they are concentrated in these areas:

• 3,260 in Salt Lake City
• 1,410 in the Ogden-Clearfield area
• 1,190 in the Provo-Orem area
• 340 in Saint George
• 320 in the Logan area
• 150 in Utah’s eastern non-metropolitan area
• 110 in Utah’s southwestern non-metropolitan area
• 100 in Utah’s northern non-metropolitan area
• 60 in Utah’s west-central non-metropolitan area

Some of the most recent job vacancies for medical assistants in Utah specified the following skills:

• The Rocky Mountain Women’s Health Center in West Valley City recently posted a medical assistant job description requiring graduates from medical assistant programs, with preference given for candidates with:

• • An official medical assistant certification
  • At least one year of experience in a health care or customer service setting
  • Bilingual abilities in both English and Spanish

• An urgent care center in Eagle Mountain was recently seeking a medical assistant with the following minimum qualifications:

• • Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential
  • Proficiency in computers and electronic medical record systems
  • Strong organizational skills

• Specialty Surgery of Utah in West Valley City was recently looking to hire a medical assistant who, at a minimum, had completed an accredited medical assisting program. Preferred qualifications included:

• • Medical assisting internship
  • Experience in a health care setting
  • Phlebotomy experience
  • Medical assistant certification from a national organization

• The radiation oncology unit at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City was recently looking for a medical assistant who was a graduate of either a medical assisting or advanced EMT program. Preferred qualifications included:

• • Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential
  • Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential

• The company Provant, an operator of a Gunnison-based wellness center, was recently hiring for a medical assistant whose minimum qualifications included a professional certification.

Additional information to be found in Utah related to legislation, certification, continuing education and employment is possible through getting in touch with organizations in the state.

One of these organizations to check for it the Utah State Society of Medical Assistants (USSMA).

Step 4. Maintain and Enhance Your Medical Assistant Skills

Along with primary employment requirements, medical assistants must also meet the maintenance requirements as well.

This is what employers will require from them to do, once they’re hired with them.

Maintaining a particular credential, however, means following these rules:

• A CMA credential is valid for 60 months, and you can renew this either by retaking the CMA Exam or by earning 60 re-certification points, half of which should be from AAMA-approved continuing education

• Maintaining an RMA credential necessitates paying a $50 AMT annual membership fee plus completing 30 Certification Continuing Program (CCP) points every three years

• To renew an NRCMA credential you need to complete two A-Class Continuing Education Units (CEUs) annually as well as maintain a valid CPR card, however, for your initial renewal you do not need to complete any CEUs

In terms of maintenance and improvement of medical assisting qualifications, a degree in a higher level of education is approved as well.

A college education will open up employment opportunities and career options.

But it will also help meet the maintenance requirements for credentials such as CMA, RMA, and NRCMA.

Additionally, acquiring a Bachelor’s degree in medical sciences will also help the candidate make a huge step towards progress in his or her medical education.

The Best Medical Assisting Schools in Utah

Below you can check the medical assisting school list in Utah.

It’s a considerable number indeed.

But the main focus for you needs to be their accreditation.

And of course, which one fits your preferred program as well.

Medical Assisting Salaries in Utah

Three types of medical assisting salaries are listed.

However, the average is always constant.

But you should not be worried about this shift.

You just need to prepare and qualify as much as you can.

In case you don’t know yet, qualification is the key to a better salary in this field.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Utah

Medical Assisting by State