Medical Assistant Schools in Oregon

Medical assistants in Oregon carry out administrative duties like updating records and scheduling appointments. They also have enough of a fundamental understanding of healthcare to carry out a few clinical duties like drawing blood and taking vitals.

The guide below showcases the steps and considerations that an Oregon candidate must take to develop expertise in all of these areas. It begins with a general introduction to the training avenues and specific arrangements for acquiring medical assisting expertise.

It also covers basic requirements, employment possibilities, continuing education possibilities, certification options, and specific programs for quality education.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Oregon

Candidates can follow the outline below to become successful medical assistants in Oregon.

Skills & Educational Basics

Basic skills like communication and interpersonal skills are needed to become a medical assistant. Educational basics like a high school diploma or a GED equivalent are also important.

Classroom Training

While graduating from an academic program is not absolutely compulsory to become a medical assistant in Oregon, this is a popular step among professionals in the field.

This is true for several reasons, including the fact that academic programs usually offer a structured learning environment and may even help candidates learn practical topics through campus laboratories. In fact, this is one of the reasons candidates are advised to choose an accredited program that operates at a high standard.

Additionally, as the next section will show, graduating from an accredited academic program can lead to certification opportunities.

Hands-On Training

Hands-on training exposes students to how medical establishments function in the real world, allowing them to build upon the topics they have been taught in the classroom.

It will also allow them to gain confidence and easily acclimatize to their positions when they secure full-time job placement.

Explore trades with similar paths:

• Learn how to become a travel agent in Oregon

Licensure & Certification Requirements

Unlike most fields in healthcare, medical assisting does not require registration or licensing from a state body before candidates can secure employment. This is not to say that certification is not a common process, but it is an optional one.

Medical assistants seek certification because it can help them advance in their careers, secure placement in some of the best institutions, and improve their yearly returns.

In order to enjoy all of these benefits, applicants must first choose their desired certifying bodies.

Some of the most popular include:

• The National Healthcareer Association
• American Association of Medical Assistants
• American Medical Technologists.

Through these organizations, medical assistants can earn credentials like the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant, and Registered Medical Assistant credential.

Those who would like to be certified must be prepared to pay an application fee and pass a professional examination.

Top Medical Assistant Schools in Oregon

The following programs have produced successful medical assistants in Oregon.

Explore medical assistant schools in Oregon by city:

• Medical assistant schools in Portland

Salary & Career Outlook

When estimating the annual average salary of medical assistants in Oregon, it can be helpful to analyze the figures based on a few criteria that can influence them. One of the most important factors that can be easily tracked is location.

Data from employment platforms shows that Corvallis is the highest-paying city for medical assistants in Oregon, thanks to an annual average salary figure of $61,397.

Portland, with an annual average salary of $56,220; Eugene, with an annual average salary of $54,272; and Gresham, with an annual average salary of $53,697, are also worth mentioning.

Without considering any single factor, medical assistants in Oregon earn an annual average salary of $42,968 in the bottom 10 percent, $69,184 in the top 10 percent, and $54,523 in the median range.

Credentials, work environment, and continuing education, among other factors, can help candidates improve their yearly earnings in the state.