How to Become a Medical Assistant in Kentucky

Young people who have finished secondary education tend to look at the job offers in their country, to see what occupation is on-demand and decide what kind of education to continue.

In the job offerings throughout the USA, it can be noticed that a lot of employment proposals are related to medical science.

Since becoming a medical assistant is the least demanding in terms of further education and less time consuming, but at the same time equally respected and fulfilling a career in medical science, numerous students decide to become medical assistants, both with and without certification or associate’s degree.

Job Description

To be a successful medical assistant who will be performing this serious role, you need to possess the readiness to work with patients and other medical staff, to have good communication skills, patience and calmness.

Your daily activities might include taking vital signs, giving first aid and injections and preparing the patient for further examination.

The facility determines whether medical assistants will work part-time, full-time, night shifts and weekends and how many responsibilities will he/she has including both clerical and clinical duties.

To be ideal candidates for this job, you need to have diverse skills including administrative, technical, communication and medical.

Becoming a Medical Assistant in Kentucky

According to Kentucky law, medical assistants do not need to have a license of any kind to start working.

However, employers are those who look for employees with strict qualification requirements:

The people who they hire are usually those with graduation from a medical assistant certification program, completion of a medical assistant military training program or have prior experience working as a medical assistant.

To become a successful applicant for medical assistant jobs in Kentucky, it is advisable to take one of many medical assistant programs that are accredited by national organizations, and the achieved qualifications will distinguish you from your competitors.

Programs will offer you not only the knowledge but hands-on experience during the courses to be able to perform routine office tasks such as:

• Take medical histories
• Record vital signs
• Perform first aid
• Explain treatment procedures to patients
• Prepare patients for examination and surgeries, etc.

Requirements

Kentucky residents can choose among many national certification programs after they have finished education.

No matter whether they have finished a diploma, certificate, or associate degree program, all of them will give the skills mandatory for an effective medical assistant.

The most widely recognized professional certifications for medical assistants in the U.S. are:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) – sponsored by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
• Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) – sponsored by American Medical Technologists (AMT)
• The Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) – sponsored by the National Association of Health Professionals (NAHP)
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) – sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• Medical Assistant (NCMA) – sponsored by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)

Each of the above-mentioned certifications has its eligibility requirements and once medical assistant finishes it, the employers might require that they complete continuing education to preserve the employment:

• The CMA credential must be renewed every five years by retaking the CMA Exam or earning 60 re-certification points.
• The RMA credential requires that you have an annual membership with the AMT and complete 30 Certification Continuing Program (CCP) points every three years.
• The NRCMA credential has the most requirements since you will need to keep a current CPR card and an annual membership with the NAHP, plus two Class A Continuing Education Units(CEUs) each following year.
• The CCMA credential requires earning at least 10 Continuing Education (CE) credits in two years.
• To maintain the NCMA credential you must complete annual Continuing Education (CE) that is approved by the NCCT.

Getting a Job

Because the job openings are estimated to grow in the future, it is the perfect time for you to try your luck in this field.

If you believe that you are a responsible person ready to daily deal with administrative duties and medical tasks and above all possess the certification, then the possibilities of getting the job are great.

The priority will be always given to the certified medical assistants that have passed the examination by an approved certifying organization.

Doctor’s offices are in constant need of support staff to deal with both clinical and administrative duties and that is where medical assistants might look for a job.

Medical assistants might find work in:

• Baptist Pulmonary Associates in Lexington
• Methodist Hospital in Henderson
• The Orthopedic Surgery Department at the University of Louisville

Salary

When looking for a job, medical assistants should pay attention to details related to salary.

As in any other profession, t numerous factors affect the salary such as education, experience, responsibilities, work setting and working hours of the facility.

The higher annual salary is offered to those employees that are qualified for jobs by possessing a diploma or an associate’s degree, as well as, those who work night shifts and at the weekend.

The average annual wage of a medical assistant in Kentucky ranges from $ 31018 in Hopkinsville up to $ 33 703 in Covington.

The table below shows the salary of a medical assistant in the state of Kentucky annually since it varies from one city to another.

Regional Salary in Kentucky

Duties

The responsibilities and daily duties of medical assistants depend on their level of education, eagerness to advance in this field and the amount of work in a clinic or doctor’s office and hospitals where they work.

They are valuable members of a team whose working hours pass while they assist the doctor and other medical staff so that the functioning of the facility runs effectively and successfully.

The duties that a medical assistant has to perform are both administrative and medical character:

• Educating patients by providing medication information and instructions that the physician has ordered
• Answering client questions both at the office and over the telephone related to medical issues
• Scheduling appointments, interventions, and surgeries and communicating with other medical facilities
• Maintaining a safe, secure and healthy work environment
• Measuring blood pressure, temperature, and weight,
• Doing lab tests and working on EKG machines, etc.

To be efficient, the medical assistant needs skills and proficiencies related to:

• Supply Management
• Organization
• Confidentiality
• Scheduling
• Medical Teamwork
• Computer literacy
• Billing procedures
• Insurance regulations, among many others.

Medical Assisting by City

Medical Assisting by State