If you enjoy working with people and have good communication and organizational skills, obtaining a career as a medical assistant could be the perfect option for you. According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2013, there are currently about 5,220 medical assistants employed in medical facilities across the state of New Mexico. With the current demand for health care workers in the country, this number is expected to rise rapidly over the next several years.
According to the same Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the average medical assistant in New Mexico can expect to earn $13.50 per hour, or $28,070 annually. In addition, many of these positions come with an array of employee benefits. The combination of increased job growth and good salaries, makes becoming a medical assistant a very attractive job opportunity.
There are no set training or certification guidelines in New Mexico for becoming a medical assistant. The majority of employers in the state are, however, only looking for employees who have graduated from one of the medical assistant programs in New Mexico and/or have earned their certification as a medical assistant. If you want to have the greatest job opportunities in your future, it is best to begin your career path by obtaining your certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
The first step towards earning this certification is to attend one of the accredited medical assistant programs in New Mexico. When searching for the right program for you, it is important that you check with the AAMA to make sure the course has the correct accreditation. This will be required in order to take the medical assistant certification examination.
There are several New Mexico medical assistant schools that offer accredited programs. These programs are designed to teach you the skills and training needed to work successfully in the health care industry. The training program will also help you prepare for your certification exam. In addition to traditional on-campus programs, there are also several online medical assistant programs. These online courses can be a great option for some students. It will allow you to complete the majority of your coursework at home versus needing to head into the school at a set time.
Once you have graduated from one of the New Mexico medical assistant schools, you can take your certification exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant. This will enable you to find a job at a variety of medical facilities in your area, such as physician offices, hospitals, assistant living centers, and urgent care facilities.
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