4 answers
breonah
Student
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
1
Question
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what are the education benefits of being a clinical medical assistant?
I'm very interested in this field, and I have a lot of questions about the medical field. Im very interested in the thought of the different specialties.
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4 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1334
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey there Breonah,
So, becoming a clinical medical assistant (CMA) is like getting a golden ticket into the medical world—without the decade-long commitment to school. You get hands-on experience, interact with real patients, and learn medical skills that make you feel like a mini doctor (without the sleepless nights of med school). The best part? You can start in less than a year. That’s right—while others are still figuring out their majors, you’ll already be taking vitals, drawing blood, and impressing doctors with your skills.
One of the biggest perks is the backstage pass to different medical specialties. Want to see what cardiologists do? You got it. Curious about dermatology? You’ll be right there helping out. It’s like speed-dating different medical fields—you get to explore and decide what interests you before committing to a long-term career path. Plus, if you ever want to level up (like becoming a nurse, sonographer, or PA), this experience will give you a huge head start.
Now, let’s talk about the "How do I even start?" part. Step one: Find a good CMA program (community colleges, vocational schools, and online programs offer them). Step two: Get certified—not all states require it, but having certification (like from the NHA or AAMA) makes you way more hirable. Step three: Intern or shadow at a clinic to get real-world experience. Step four: Land that job and rock those scrubs. Oh, and always carry extra pens—nurses and doctors will "borrow" them forever.
Skills-wise, you’ll master patient communication (AKA calming down a nervous patient with some well-timed humor-it works really well) , multitasking (charting, assisting, and keeping up with the doctor’s speed-gosh sometimes I wonder if rolling would be faster) , and staying cool under pressure (because, yes, sometimes people faint when they see needles-well there is also you who has to be ready for stress and emotional breakdowns). But honestly, the best skill? The ability to make patients feel comfortable—sometimes, a little joke can make a huge difference in their day.
So, if you love fast-paced environments, teamwork, and the idea of being a medical pro without drowning in student debt, this is your calling. Plus, you’ll collect some wild patient stories along the way—because let’s be real, healthcare is never boring!
Best of luck on your medic adventure Breonah, stay curious and keep asking if you need anything.
So, becoming a clinical medical assistant (CMA) is like getting a golden ticket into the medical world—without the decade-long commitment to school. You get hands-on experience, interact with real patients, and learn medical skills that make you feel like a mini doctor (without the sleepless nights of med school). The best part? You can start in less than a year. That’s right—while others are still figuring out their majors, you’ll already be taking vitals, drawing blood, and impressing doctors with your skills.
One of the biggest perks is the backstage pass to different medical specialties. Want to see what cardiologists do? You got it. Curious about dermatology? You’ll be right there helping out. It’s like speed-dating different medical fields—you get to explore and decide what interests you before committing to a long-term career path. Plus, if you ever want to level up (like becoming a nurse, sonographer, or PA), this experience will give you a huge head start.
Now, let’s talk about the "How do I even start?" part. Step one: Find a good CMA program (community colleges, vocational schools, and online programs offer them). Step two: Get certified—not all states require it, but having certification (like from the NHA or AAMA) makes you way more hirable. Step three: Intern or shadow at a clinic to get real-world experience. Step four: Land that job and rock those scrubs. Oh, and always carry extra pens—nurses and doctors will "borrow" them forever.
Skills-wise, you’ll master patient communication (AKA calming down a nervous patient with some well-timed humor-it works really well) , multitasking (charting, assisting, and keeping up with the doctor’s speed-gosh sometimes I wonder if rolling would be faster) , and staying cool under pressure (because, yes, sometimes people faint when they see needles-well there is also you who has to be ready for stress and emotional breakdowns). But honestly, the best skill? The ability to make patients feel comfortable—sometimes, a little joke can make a huge difference in their day.
So, if you love fast-paced environments, teamwork, and the idea of being a medical pro without drowning in student debt, this is your calling. Plus, you’ll collect some wild patient stories along the way—because let’s be real, healthcare is never boring!
Best of luck on your medic adventure Breonah, stay curious and keep asking if you need anything.
Natasha Rieder
Occupational Health Nurse
28
Answers
Wentzville, Missouri
Updated
Natasha’s Answer
I can't speak to being a medical assistant, but as you mentioned, there are lots of specialties in the medical field, including nursing!
A critical note about a nursing degree; it gives you countless career options making it a wonderfully versatile career choice! You can work for the Red Cross, work in manufacturing, work with the elderly, with babies, work at a middle school, do private home health care, the options are endless! As a current nurse, I can tell you that you won't be at a huge disadvantage for going to a state school vs a fancy private nursing school when it comes time to get a job. You of course want to pick the best option you have, but just don't let that stress you out too bad because no matter what school you go to, we all take the same test at the end (that'd be the dreaded NCLEX).
All that being said, I'd recommend you get at least your Bachelors degree in nursing (BSN). That's not to say you can't get your LPN (licensed practicing nurse) first if you choose, but most of these special opportunities and places that will pay their nurses higher than average will require at least a BSN. You also have to decide if you want to get an advanced degree or if the grueling four years for your BSN is as far as you want to go. If you want to get an advanced degree/training some common options are:
- Getting your Masters in a specialty (I have an MSN in Nursing Education but there are other options)
- CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist)
- specializing in another field such as pediatric emergency transport or becoming a flight nurse
- or obtaining your Nurse Practitioner license. If you were to get your NP you can specialize even further from there and that would also play a role in your salary.
If you decide you want to stick with the BSN only but a few years later you want to spice things up with a semi-career change, I'd recommend keeping your eye out for leadership type roles. You'll find these in hospital systems, education, occupational health, and in some other specialty areas. You could also get onto a specialty team like those named above. However, those roles usually require a minimum number of years in the nursing field, so you'd likely have to get a BSN job somewhere just to gain experience first. That's not a bad thing! You want to be able to speak to the work you're doing before leading others to do it, so starting at the bottom and working your way up is not a bad route to take. On the contrary, I'd say it makes you more valuable as a nurse.
These are just a few common options, the nursing field has many branches to it that you can work from. If you ever have any other questions, you know where to go!
A critical note about a nursing degree; it gives you countless career options making it a wonderfully versatile career choice! You can work for the Red Cross, work in manufacturing, work with the elderly, with babies, work at a middle school, do private home health care, the options are endless! As a current nurse, I can tell you that you won't be at a huge disadvantage for going to a state school vs a fancy private nursing school when it comes time to get a job. You of course want to pick the best option you have, but just don't let that stress you out too bad because no matter what school you go to, we all take the same test at the end (that'd be the dreaded NCLEX).
All that being said, I'd recommend you get at least your Bachelors degree in nursing (BSN). That's not to say you can't get your LPN (licensed practicing nurse) first if you choose, but most of these special opportunities and places that will pay their nurses higher than average will require at least a BSN. You also have to decide if you want to get an advanced degree or if the grueling four years for your BSN is as far as you want to go. If you want to get an advanced degree/training some common options are:
- Getting your Masters in a specialty (I have an MSN in Nursing Education but there are other options)
- CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist)
- specializing in another field such as pediatric emergency transport or becoming a flight nurse
- or obtaining your Nurse Practitioner license. If you were to get your NP you can specialize even further from there and that would also play a role in your salary.
If you decide you want to stick with the BSN only but a few years later you want to spice things up with a semi-career change, I'd recommend keeping your eye out for leadership type roles. You'll find these in hospital systems, education, occupational health, and in some other specialty areas. You could also get onto a specialty team like those named above. However, those roles usually require a minimum number of years in the nursing field, so you'd likely have to get a BSN job somewhere just to gain experience first. That's not a bad thing! You want to be able to speak to the work you're doing before leading others to do it, so starting at the bottom and working your way up is not a bad route to take. On the contrary, I'd say it makes you more valuable as a nurse.
These are just a few common options, the nursing field has many branches to it that you can work from. If you ever have any other questions, you know where to go!
Isabel Dominguez
Student
115
Answers
Corning, California
Updated
Isabel’s Answer
Hi Breonah!
Well, becoming a Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) offers great educational benefits, especially if you’re exploring different medical specialties. It provides hands-on experience in patient care, medical procedures, and administrative tasks, helping you build a strong foundation for advancing in healthcare. Many CMAs use this role as a stepping stone to careers like nursing, radiology, or even becoming a physician assistant. Certification programs are usually short (6 months to 2 years), making it an affordable way to enter the medical field quickly. Plus, working alongside doctors and specialists gives you valuable insight into different specialties before committing to further education.
Well, becoming a Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) offers great educational benefits, especially if you’re exploring different medical specialties. It provides hands-on experience in patient care, medical procedures, and administrative tasks, helping you build a strong foundation for advancing in healthcare. Many CMAs use this role as a stepping stone to careers like nursing, radiology, or even becoming a physician assistant. Certification programs are usually short (6 months to 2 years), making it an affordable way to enter the medical field quickly. Plus, working alongside doctors and specialists gives you valuable insight into different specialties before committing to further education.
Megan Jackson MSN, RN
Registered Nurse
63
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Megan’s Answer
It depends on where your interests lie and what your long term goals are. Medical Assistant training can very greatly in content and cost. Some programs are lengthy ie associates degree and very costly. The downside is there is very little return on your investment with most MA positions paying very little. You will most likely work in a doctors office and depending on the office the skills you perform are totally dependent on what the doctor allows some you will just take vital signs others you may give shots, draw blood, do EKGs as well as make sure the patients got their blood work or imaging prior to their appointment, calling in meds ect. None of your training for Medical Assistant will count towards any type of nursing program if that’s your long term goal. I would personally suggest looking into an LVN/LPN program at your local community college they are typically 12-18 months and usually don’t require any pre-reqs. When you’re completed you are a nurse and can work in a variety of settings starting around 20-25/hr. You have more autonomy and more job opportunities as an LVN so something to think about. Good luck