Can a Nurse Tech work as a medical assistant?

[Meaganfn]

Hello All!

I currently work as a Nurse Tech in a hospital. I work nights, but looking to branch out elsewhere to help supplement my income. I was wondering if a nurse tech could be hired as a medical assistant? I came across an ad for a medical assistant listing and it doesn't mention anything about needing specific training or certification as one. It's main requirement though is applicants possibly one year of one year clinical experience in a hospital or physician's office.

I just wanted an idea what the chances would be for me landing an interview for this position. Or whether or not id be wasting my time by even applying.

[hookyarnandblanket]

I believe you have to be trained and certified to be a medical assistant.

[sueall]

Go ahead and apply -- it can't hurt!

A "medical assistant" is nothing more than a job title, and carries no specific certification or education. If a physician or clinic wants to hire someone off the street and train them to be a medical assistant, there's nothing stopping them.

OTOH, a "certified" or "registered" medical assistant is more than a job title -- it's a certification that requires graduation from an approved program (CMA) or a set number of years of employment as an MA (RMA), PLUS passing the national exam.

If certification is required, most ads will make that clear. However, many smaller offices/clinics are willing to take someone with an adequate entry-level background and train them to be a "medical assistant." These generally start out as minimum-wage jobs, and you learn only what is needed for that particular clinic/physician.

You have hospital experience, but do you have "clinical" experience? Answering multi-line phones, handling patient calls, medical records, setting up patient exam rooms, running lab tests, blood draws, processing insurance claims, getting vitals, basic health histories and "what brings you here today" info, helping with exams, etc. If they are willing to train you, it would give you some flexibility for future jobs.

[SarahB0703]

Beginning in January of 2015, all medical personnel that will have access to a patient's chart, specifically their medications, will have to be credentialed. If they are a Medical Assistant, they need to be certified or registered as a CMA, NCMA or an RMA. This is per Medicare/Medicaid. MA's that have been grandfathered in, without attending an accredited institution, can only apply to get their NCMA or their RMA & have to have a letter from their employer(s) documenting certain years of experience, specific job duties & a copy of their high school diploma and/or GED & high school transcripts. We just went through all of this at work with all of us having different areas of training, experience & expertise. It cant hurt to apply though, but eventually, all MA's (unless strictly administrative) are going to have to be certified eventually. Good luck! :)

[amoLucia]

To SarahB0703 - TY for the info. Interesting to know.

[SarahB0703]

No problem!

[armywife808]

Sarah

Where are you sourcing that info from? I can see why policies are changing with all the identity theft going on.

[sueall]

Most of the updated info can be found on the AAMA website. Good luck!

[armywife808]

There are duties that MAs do that CNAs don't do and vice versa. MAs have special training in medical office procedures, medical office billing and operations, scheduling, and many have further training in taking x-rays, drawing blood, doing EEGs and performing other tests ordered by the doctors.

A notable difference between CNA's and CMA's is who supervises them.

Doctors directly supervise medical assistants. They delegate duties to the MA and expect the MA to have the knowledge and skills necessary to do the job. CMA's also, importantly, self regulate their own practice. They have a Code of Conduct, and must be certified by national board testing.

CNA's on the other hand, work directly under the RN. The nurse delegates only certain tasks to CNA's as allowed by state law- which limits what the CNA can do.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I believe you have to be trained and certified to be a medical assistant.

The medical assistant role does not require formal training unless certification and/or registration is desired. Any person from off the street can work as a medical assistant if he/she finds a practitioner who is willing to provide on-the-job training.

What about all of these medical assisting training programs we see advertised on daytime TV? Yes, they're all optional. How about those associate of applied science degree programs in medical assisting? Yes, those are purely optional, too. No formal education or training is legally mandated to work as a medical assistant. However, the caveat is that many doctors, recruiters, organizations and employers prefer or require certification and verifiable work experience.

By the way, an on-the-job trained MA who never attended school or completed a certificate or degree program can take the exam become certified and/or registered after displaying verified proof of two years of work experience.