Medical Assistant Training in Wyoming
Becoming a medical assistant in Wyoming does not legally require training or a license. However, it is highly preferred by healthcare employers that you gain some training, and certification is increasingly required. You can earn a medical assistant diploma, or become a certified medical assistant (CMA) via the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) or become a registered medical assistant (RMA) through the American Medical Technologists (AMT) association. Earning a diploma requires about one year, and certification requires one year and passing of an exam. Alternatively, for even more training, you can earn an associate degree in medical assisting in two years.
If you choose official certification with the AAMA, you must choose an accredited program and pass the exam given by the certifying board of the AAMA. Becoming an RMA requires the same accredited schooling and passing an exam given by the AMT, however, it is not required that a candidate attend an ABHES or CAAHEP accredited program. A program offered by a school that holds institutional accreditation and provides at least 720 hours of Medical Assistant training, including clinical hours meets the requirements for RMA certification. Accreditation is offered by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). There are not many programs in Wyoming and no CAAHEP or ABHES accredited schools or programs.
Online Medical Assistant Programs in Wyoming
Online distance learning is a valid and more convenient option when accompanied with an externship in a clinic or hospital. The clinical hours (externship) are arranged by the school and the student.
Training in medical assisting covers both clerical and clinical skills, as medical assistants usually have diverse duties in any office. They can work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, physicians’ offices, and offices of specialists, like podiatrists, optometrists, or chiropractors. You will learn the basics of record keeping, billing, medical coding, and running an office and dealing with patients, insurance companies, and other healthcare workers. Technical training is also important, especially for smaller offices or clinics where there is less specialization among medical assistants. Training programs will provide instruction in assessing patients, taking vital signs, drawing blood, basic diagnostic exams, and sometimes assisting physicians with procedures. Basic anatomy and medical and pharmacology terms are also taught. Preparing patients for procedures and teaching them about procedures or how to take medications are other examples of things they will also need to be prepared to do.
The outlook for medical assistants is excellent. There were approximately 430 medical assistants working in Wyoming in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is projected to grow rapidly for many years. In fact, according to the state’s Labor Market Information, it was projected to grow 44% between the years of 2006 and 2016. Not only is the entire healthcare sector growing rapidly, but medical support positions like this are growing at some of the fastest rates, especially in rural areas where there is a shortage of healthcare workers and in increase of outpatient clinics. The mean annual salary for a CMA in Wyoming is $25,640, and the mean hourly wage is $12.33, according to BLS. Get started now in a booming healthcare career, and you can have a secure job with benefits waiting for you in almost any area of the state. Medical Assistant training lays much of the ground work for future advancement in the health care industry from management positions to nursing and other higher education related career opportunities.
Medical billing and coding programs in wyoming can help prepare you for a career with promising career growth and earnings potential.
(Sources: AAMA, Bureau of Labor Statistics, CAAHEP)
