Have you ever seen a job opening that said the employer only wanted registered medical assistants? If you have completed your job training to become a medical assistant, you might be wondering if you fit that category of employee. The guide below describes what a registered medical assistant is and how to become one if you are not already. Use this information to start your career.
What Is a Registered Medical Assistant?
The definition for registered medical assistant varies by state. Some states require medical assistants to pass an exam before they can become certified to work as a medical assistant. Others give this title to any medical assistant with more than five years of experience and some sort of college degree. If you have never taken an exam or gone to school to become a medical assistant, chances are you are not registered yet.
What Are the Benefits to Getting Registered?
You may wonder if getting registered with your state is worth the hassle, and for some people, it’s not. If your state has loose guidelines for its medical assistants, you may not need to go through any special training or testing to find a job. In other cases though, being registered will allow you to beat out the competition for high-paying medical assisting jobs. This certification tells your future employers that you know what you’re doing, and that you care about your career as a whole.
How to Become a Registered Medical Assistant
If you haven’t gone through any career training yet, you need to look for a medical assistant program to attend in your area. You should be able to get registered with a certificate or diploma, but some states and employers will ask that you have an associate’s degree.
Once you have completed your education, you can take an exam through your state to be a registered medical assistant. If you do not have a required exam in your state, you will simply have to find work and wait until you have enough job experience to be registered. With your degree alone, you should be able to find well-paying work.
If you want to have the best career possible, you need to look at getting registered in your state. It won’t take long to do, and it could lead to great opportunities for you in the future.
