Careers in the medical assistant profession offer a great opportunity for entering the health care industry. These careers are currently in high demand as the baby boomers head into their aging years and health care becomes more accessible. In 2013, there were more than 2,200 medical assistants working throughout the state of Idaho, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s data.
While there is already a huge demand for medical assistant, the experts are excepting this demand to continue to steadily increase for at least the next six years. Medical assistants in Idaho also receive a fairly good wage. The average income is slightly under the national average, but medical assistants can expect to earn an average of $29,870 per year, according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics by 2013.
In the state of Idaho, medical assistants are able to perform a variety of administrative and clinical duties, such as drawing blood, assisting with patient examination, updating medical records, performing medical billing and coding, and taking vital signs. You are not required to complete any type of training or obtain your certificate in order to work as a medical assistant in Idaho. However, many employers will only hire those who are trained, or pay them more if they have a certification.
This makes going to one of Idaho’s medical assistant schools a good place to start the process of becoming a medical assistant. When searching through the various medical assistant programs in Idaho, you only want to look at programs that are accredited. This accreditation should come from the Department of Education, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, or Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Completion of an accredited program is required in order to get your medical assistant certification. There are several Idaho medical assistant schools that offer accredited programs. Some of these must be completed on campus. However, there are many schools that offer online medical assistant programs. This will allow you to continue working and complete your coursework at a time the fits into your schedule. You may need to complete some clinical hands-on training at a medical facility in your locality.
Once your training is complete, you can take the examination to earn your certification. This will then allow you to find one of the better paying medical assistant jobs in Idaho. With the strong demand for these jobs, you should have no problem finding a good job in your area.
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