Where to Study Medical Assisting in North Carolina

The search for a lifetime career may be a daunting one. Whether you are young, old, experienced, or green, you are wondering whether you will sink or swim when you set your sights on a new career goal. In some areas, there is a ray of hope. The economy is booming again in many states, and the state of North Carolina is one worth looking into. [Leer en español]

Some jobs are on the rise. Medical assisting is one occupation that is growing exponentially. In North Carolina alone, there are around 14,300 medical assisting jobs in the state as of 2012. Data indicates a 32 percent growth rate in the industry currently. That’s a significant jump of an estimated 730 new jobs are opening every year.

What do Medical Assistants do?

Medical assisting is not for everyone. These individuals must have specific aptitude and personality traits to be successful in this career. Medical workers are on their feet for 8 to 10 hours a day. They must be able to work comfortably in a dynamic environment, they must handle stress well, and they must have excellent service skills, proficient data entry, and attention to detail.

Commonly their duties include document preparation and specimen preparation, welcoming patients, entering patient data, communicating with physicians, nurses and office teams, processing medication refills and a variety of similar tasks.

Medical Assistants are the glue that holds clinics together, for their excellent personal relations skills, their cross training, and their ability to communicate between entities, they tend to bridge the gap between departments.

Salaries

Medical assistant salaries can fluctuate according to region, experience, qualifications, and other factors. The median wage for Medical Assistants in North Carolina is currently $14.12 per hour but ranges from $10.65 to $18.31, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm).

Salaries by Metropolitan Area in North Carolina

Requirements

There are no specific requirements imposed by the state of North Carolina for individuals working as Medical Assistants. Most will work under professional staff such as a doctor or nurse, receiving most of their training from them.

Certification is encouraged however, and many clinical offices now require it prior to hire. There are recognized certifications one can obtain, and they usually require graduation from a short program. Visit the AAMA a website for more information. Below is a comprehensive list of applicable programs in North Carolina.

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