Medical Assistant Schools in Montana

As a Montana resident who is attentive to detail and can multitask in a busy environment, pursuing a career as a medical assistant can be an excellent way to test the waters. By testing the waters, we mean that candidates can use this opportunity to become familiar with the world of healthcare and decide whether a more advanced career is the right option for them.

Of course, starting a medical assistant career involves several steps, but it is by far one of the most straightforward disciplines in the healthcare industry. This guide outlines everything that individuals need to keep in mind to make the process even more straightforward and enjoyable.

At the end of the guide, readers will also learn their projected annual earnings and how to maximize these numbers.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Montana

The framework below can be adapted to start a successful career as a medical assistant in Montana.

Step 1: Basic Requirements

Meeting the basic requirements is a crucial step to becoming a successful medical assistant in Montana. Currently, these requirements include a high school diploma or GED and a minimum age of at least 18.

Possessing soft skills, such as interpersonal and communication skills, also proves very valuable, as do transferable skills like critical thinking, multitasking, and problem-solving.

Step 2: Educational Considerations

For their education, aspiring medical assistants in Montana usually have to make a few considerations, including the following:

Location

When it comes to location, candidates may go for an online medical assistant training program, an in-person program, or a hybrid program.

Award & Degrees

Additionally, prospective medical assistants must choose the specific award they’d like to graduate with. Some programs offer certificates, while others lead to an associate degree.

Step 3: Employment and Career Growth

Employment should be straightforward for a well-trained medical assistant in Montana, regardless of whether they want to work in a clinical or administrative setting. Candidates should also continue to acquire more skills on the job.

It is common for medical assistants to consider advancement pathways in nursing, office management, surgical technology, and EKG technology, among others.

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• Learn to become a travel agent in Montana

Licensure & Certification Requirements

The National Healthcareer Association offers multiple credentials for medical assistants who are just completing their training. These include the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant credential and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant credential.

Pursuing either of these credentials can be a great way to start a specialty career in the field. For those who would like to go for a brother approach, the Certified Medical Assistant credential issued by the American Association of Medical Assistants and the Registered Medical Assistant credential issued by the American Medical Technologists are great options to consider.

The process of becoming certified as a medical assistant is usually consistent, even across multiple organizations. It all begins with attending an academic program and paying an application fee for the certification exam.

Candidates who pass their certification exam will become officially certified.

Top Medical Assistant Schools in Montana

The schools below offer prominent training programs for aspiring medical assistants in Montana.

Explore medical assistant schools in Montana by city:

• Medical assistant schools in Billings

Salary & Career Outlook

The annual average salary of a medical assistant in Montana depends on various factors. However, without focusing on any factor, we can analyze these figures by separating candidates into three distinct categories as follows:

• The highest-paid, making an annual average salary of $59,045;
• The lowest-paid making an annual average salary of $38,982, and
• The median earners have an average annual salary of $47,976.

Some factors that end up deciding where professionals will fall in these salary categories are experience, specific location within the state, professional credentials, and specific work environment. Focusing on location, the annual average salary of medical assistants in Montana can be analyzed as follows:

• Dillon is the highest-paying city, with an annual average salary of $56,982, followed by
• Plains, with an annual average salary of $56,982;
• Bozeman, with an annual average salary of $51,365; and
• Miles City, with an annual average salary of $47,795.