Admin Medical Assistant Programs in Washington D.C.

A career as an administrative medical assistant offers many opportunities for patient interaction and professional fulfillment. Whether you work in a medical clinic, private practice, hospital or eldercare facility, you can provide essential support services. You may greet patients, process medical insurance information and record important patient information.

If you have a real interest in helping others as well as a devotion to detail, you may be an ideal candidate for this career path. The right education at an accredited school can better prepare you for your future work as an administrative medical assistant. Contact the D.C. schools that offer Medical Office/Administrative Assistant programs directly from our site to begin.

Washington D.C. Administrative Medical Assisting Program Highlights

Schools that offer medical assisting certificate programs will typically require that you have a high school diploma or its equivalent for admission. In some cases, you may also have to pass an exam that tests your English proficiency. Schools that offer an Associate’s Degree in Administrative Medical Assisting will typically require that you have a certain minimum high school grade point average as well.

You may be able to complete a certificate program in medical assisting in D.C. in approximately 12-18 months. An ability to pursue your diploma on a full-time basis can shorten the time necessary to complete the program. It generally takes longer to acquire an Associate’s Degree in part because a variety of more general classes are added to the curriculum.

Coursework will prepare you for the duties that you may encounter as an administrative medical assistant. Classes may be offered in patient coding, customer service in a healthcare environment, medical transcription, medical terminology, public health and document production. There may be coursework in math, biology, English, communication skills, anatomy and psychology for Associate’s students.

Once you’ve completed either your Associate’s Degree or certificate program, you can sign up to take the certification exam. The Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam is available through the National Health Careers Association.

Job and Wage Data for Medical Administrative Assistants in Washington D.C.

Administrative medical assistants enjoy some of the highest median wages in the country, when you consider that this is truly an entry-level position within the medical profession. While O*Net reports that the 2013 national median wage for administrative medical assistants was $29,600, it also reports that the median wage in District of Columbia was substantially higher, at $37,900.

The wage outlook is good, and so is projected job growth. O*Net reports that the number of positions is expected to grow 22 percent from 2012 to 2022. The demand for administrative medical assistants may be further stimulated by the impact of the Affordable Health Care Act, which may bring more people into the healthcare system for routine and preventative medical care.

Imagine a future in which your caring and helpful attitude can put patients at ease, while you routinely interact with other dedicated healthcare professionals. Your future as an administrative medical assistant can be fulfilling on numerous levels. The first thing you need to do in order to progress toward this goal is to get detailed program information from the Washington D.C. Medical Assistant schools listed on our site. Then you can begin to compare information prior to selecting the school that offers the best option for you.