Medical Assistants

Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the 2008-18 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with formal training or experience, and certification.

Although not required, certification indicates that a medical assistant meets certain standards of knowledge. It may also help to distinguish an experienced or formally trained assistant from an entry-level assistant, which may lead to a higher salary or more employment opportunities. There are various associations – such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and Association of Medical Technologists (AMT) – that award certification credentials to medical assistants. The certification process varies by association. It is also possible to become certified in a specialty, such as podiatry, optometry or ophthalmology.