Medical Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania

Medical assistants in Pennsylvania are professionals called upon to facilitate the smooth operation of medical establishments. They achieve this by supporting doctors, nurses, and other professionals to ensure patients get help without interruption.

On a typical day, they will be tasked with welcoming patients, assisting nurses, maintaining medical records, tending to wounds, and drawing blood, among other duties. Naturally, some training is needed to perform these duties.

Below, we look at how Pennsylvania residents can acquire the necessary skills and become successful medical assistants in the state. We explore the educational requirements, licensure considerations, and top training programs.

How to Become a Medical Assistant in Pennsylvania

The following are the steps involved in becoming a medical assistant in Pennsylvania.

Step 1: Basic Requirements

The basic requirements to become a medical assistant in Pennsylvania include a desire to help people, a detail-oriented mindset, and effective interpersonal and communication skills. Educationally, all required to secure training placement in this discipline is either a high school diploma or a GED equivalent.

Step 2: Formal Medical Training

Even though some employers are technically willing to hire fresh candidates without prior training in the field, it is usually more advisable for an aspiring medical assistant in Pennsylvania to attend a training program before seeking job placement.

Several high-quality options are available in the state, including online, on-campus, part-time, and full-time programs.

Below, we provide a short list of top options to consider later.

Step 3: Internship/Externship

Medical assistants don’t just jump into their duties in a hospital or clinic; they have to build up some experience first, even while in training. Candidates achieve this by participating in internships or externships.

Completing either of these is usually a major requirement at several high-quality training programs. Candidates can also leverage their externship experience to secure full-time employment.

Step 4: Employment

After becoming fully trained with hands-on experience, candidates in Pennsylvania can go on to apply and interview for medical assistant positions at prominent establishments. They may also consider the certification options below to launch their careers on a very solid footing.

Explore trades with similar paths:

• How to become a truck driver in Pennsylvania

Licensure & Certification Requirements

Pennsylvania has no mandatory licensure requirements for medical assistants. This is good news for candidates who would like to spend most of their time after training to pursue professional credentials instead.

Certification isn’t mandatory, but certification is important for certain tasks, such as CPR and IV. Additionally, certified professionals are deemed more employable and enjoy access to continuing education opportunities for career improvement.

Some notable destinations for becoming certified medical assistants in Pennsylvania include the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the American Medical Technologists (AMT).

The Certified Medical Assistant designation offered by the AAMA requires candidates to pass a 200-question examination administered in four 40-minute segments. This credential must also be renewed every 60 months by completing 60 continuing education units.

Top Medical Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania

The programs below are among Pennsylvania’s best options for aspiring medical assistants.

Explore medical assistant schools in Pennsylvania by city:

• Medical assistant schools in Philadelphia

Salary & Career Outlook

The annual salary for medical assistants in Pennsylvania is $47,066—granted, and they are among the state’s average earners. This figure is also well in line with the national average.

Of course, professionals in this field can do better and climb to be among the highest-paid in the state. In this case, they will earn an annual average salary of around $58,827.

Those who fall among the bottom 10% in the state take home an annual average salary of around $37,656. Experience and location are some of the most important factors influencing these figures.

The following locations are notable for being the best for medical assistants in Pennsylvania based on average salary alone:

• Bethlehem, with an annual average salary of $53,016;
• Allentown, with an annual average salary of $51,959;
• Bryn Mawr, with an annual average salary of $50,321;
• Philadelphia, with an annual average salary of $50,041; and
• West Chester, with an annual average salary of $46,924.