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Medical Admin Assistant Training and Jobs


Schools and Degrees

Vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools and community and junior colleges offer postsecondary medical assisting programs. These programs usually last for 1 to 2 years and result in a certificate or diploma, or an associate’s degree. The degree-granting institutions teach anatomy, physiology and medical terminology, along with typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting and insurance processing.

Medical admin assistants gain training in laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles and first aid. They are also required to study office practices, patient relations, medical law and ethics.

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Training and Education

Moderate-term on-the-job training is often necessary for working in the field. About 18% of medical admin assistants have earned a degree. Some college, below a 4-year degree, is sufficient for 49% of workers. Employees with only a high school education represent about 33% of all.


Job Overview

Medical admin assistants perform administrative tasks and help patients at the offices of physicians and other health practitioners. They help the office run smoothly by carrying out routine treatments, conducting lab tests and maintaining office records. Their duties vary depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner’s specialty. In small practices, they handle both administrative and clinical duties directly under a physician, office manager or other health practitioner. In larger practices, they work in specific areas under the supervision of department administrators.


Job Requirements

Employers prefer medical admin assistants who are certified, as this signifies that they meet a certain standard of competence. There are a several certifications available for medical admin assistants, some of which are the Registered Medical Assistant, Certified Office Laboratory Technician, Registered Health Information Technician, Patient Care Technician, Phlebotomy Technician and the Certified Medical Assistant. Medical admin assistants should be neat and well groomed and must have a courteous, pleasant behavior so they can put their patients at ease. They must also keep all medical information confidential.


Nature of Work

Medical admin assistants perform several tasks, such as arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services, updating and filing patients’ medical records and filling out insurance forms, among others. They also answer telephones, greet patients, handle correspondence, schedule appointments and handle billing and bookkeeping. Some state law permits medical admin assistants to perform tasks like preparing patients for examinations, taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients and assisting physicians during examinations. They collect and prepare laboratory specimens and also perform basic laboratory tests. Their duties may also include instructing patients about medications and special diets and authorizing drug refills as directed. Medical admin assistants work in well-lighted, clean environments. They constantly interact with other people and may have to handle several responsibilities at once. Most full-time medical assistants work a regular 40-hour week, while some of them work part time, evenings or weekends.


Area Job Conditions

Medical admin assistants appear most common in Lewiston (Maine), Corvallis (Oregon), and Columbia (Missouri), and least common in Lynchburg (Virginia), Blacksburg (Virginia), and Houma (Louisiana).

Burlington (Vermont), Fort Collins (Colorado), and Bridgeport (Connecticut) offer the highest pay. McAllen (Texas), Alexandria (Louisiana), and Wichita Falls (Texas) offer the lowest salaries.


Part-Time and Self Employment

Government statistics report that 19% of medical admin assistants are employed part-time. Workers who work for themselves total about 1%.


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Medical Admin Assistants by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anniston $25,000 80 -49%
Birmingham $31,000 820 -57%
Decatur $32,000 100 -46%
Dothan $27,000 120 -41%
Florence $26,000 160 -11%
Gadsden $28,000 100 -13%
Huntsville $27,000 260 -67%
Mobile $28,000 100 -85%
Montgomery $26,000 330 -46%
Tuscaloosa $27,000 130 -60%

Alaska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anchorage $36,000 650 +3%
Fairbanks $39,000 100 -6%

Arizona

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Flagstaff $31,000 310 +58%
Kingman $27,000 350 +117%
Phoenix $32,000 6,270 -10%
Prescott $30,000 260 +39%
Tucson $29,000 1,490 +12%
Yuma $28,000 140 -27%

Arkansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Fayetteville $29,000 310 -60%
Fort Smith $25,000 260 -43%
Hot Springs $26,000 60 -50%
Jonesboro $26,000 180 +13%
Little Rock $29,000 850 -37%

California

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bakersfield $28,000 1,140 +14%
Chico $29,000 580 +135%
El Centro $27,000 140 -18%
Fresno $30,000 1,750 +42%
Hanford $31,000 200 +78%
Los Angeles $32,000 21,540 +35%
Madera $33,000 220 +110%
Merced $28,000 470 +138%
Modesto $29,000 1,010 +73%
Napa $38,000 290 +32%
Oakland $39,000 6,420 +63%
Oxnard $31,000 2,190 +91%
Redding $29,000 480 +129%
Riverside $30,000 7,230 +52%
Sacramento $38,000 5,380 +58%
Salinas $36,000 800 +33%
San Diego $34,000 8,850 +71%
San Francisco $40,000 4,380 +12%
San Jose $38,000 3,760 +7%
San Luis Obispo $34,000 570 +69%
Santa Ana $33,000 9,650 +68%
Santa Barbara $37,000 1,040 +65%
Santa Cruz $34,000 650 +107%
Santa Rosa $39,000 1,190 +81%
Stockton $34,000 1,070 +34%
Vallejo $34,000 760 +72%
Visalia $29,000 720 +44%
Yuba City $31,000 250 +96%

Colorado

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boulder $35,000 460 -20%
Colorado Springs $31,000 870 -10%
Denver $34,000 3,550 -28%
Fort Collins $30,000 400 -14%
Grand Junction $34,000 250 +26%
Greeley $32,000 330 +28%
Pueblo $27,000 350 +77%

Connecticut

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bridgeport $39,000 660 -60%
Danbury $37,000 170 -30%
Hartford $36,000 1,400 -38%
New Haven $36,000 660 -37%
Norwich $37,000 290 -36%
Waterbury $36,000 180 -25%

Delaware

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Dover $26,000 680 +283%
Wilmington $34,000 2,990 +137%

District of Columbia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Washington $37,000 4,470 -53%

Florida

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Coral $29,000 290 -61%
Deltona $26,000 340 -41%
Fort Lauderdale $31,000 1,840 -33%
Gainesville $28,000 200 -56%
Jacksonville $30,000 960 -59%
Lakeland $26,000 570 -20%
Miami $28,000 2,610 -32%
Naples $32,000 340 -17%
Ocala $27,000 240 -24%
Orlando $29,000 1,870 -53%
Palm Bay $27,000 720 -4%
Panama City $30,000 140 -43%
Pensacola $28,000 400 -28%
Port St Lucie $30,000 410 -7%
Sarasota $28,000 530 -44%
Sebastian $30,000 150 -7%
Tallahassee $26,000 420 -31%
Tampa $28,000 2,680 -41%
West Palm Beach $29,000 1,200 -41%

Georgia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $24,000 450 +108%
Athens $30,000 740 +194%
Atlanta $33,000 10,810 +18%
Augusta $28,000 1,000 +28%
Brunswick $27,000 180 +30%
Columbus $27,000 550 +35%
Dalton $29,000 220 -8%
Gainesville $31,000 510 +107%
Hinesville $26,000 40 -1%
Macon $28,000 740 +126%
Rome $28,000 270 +133%
Savannah $30,000 810 +45%
Valdosta $27,000 260 +53%
Warner Robins $27,000 270 +46%

Hawaii

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Honolulu $36,000 620 -64%

Idaho

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boise $30,000 610 -39%
Coeur Dalene $31,000 180 +3%
Idaho Falls $29,000 60 -62%
Lewiston $31,000 150 +104%
Pocatello $27,000 40 -59%

Illinois

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bloomington $30,000 310 +24%
Champaign $29,000 330 -12%
Chicago $36,000 6,700 -55%
Danville $30,000 110 +25%
Kankakee $26,000 100 -28%
Peoria $33,000 560 -13%
Rockford $29,000 490 -7%
Springfield $37,000 230 -42%

Indiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $31,000 240 +89%
Bloomington $29,000 210 -15%
Columbus $30,000 130 +2%
Elkhart $30,000 190 -52%
Evansville $26,000 720 +11%
Fort Wayne $31,000 770 -1%
Gary $33,000 890 -14%
Indianapolis $31,000 3,570 +1%
Kokomo $26,000 60 -54%
Lafayette $30,000 170 -37%
Michigan City $26,000 190 +38%
Muncie $27,000 150 -3%
South Bend $29,000 590 +23%
Terre Haute $28,000 300 +24%

Iowa

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ames $27,000 100 -19%
Cedar Rapids $27,000 410 -21%
Davenport $28,000 730 +3%
Des Moines $31,000 870 -32%
Dubuque $29,000 230 +25%
Iowa City $35,000 420 +67%
Sioux City $28,000 200 -23%
Waterloo $29,000 290 -6%

Kansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawrence $31,000 90 -39%
Manhattan $28,000 90 -50%
Topeka $28,000 400 -1%
Wichita $29,000 1,010 -9%

Kentucky

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bowling Green $26,000 120 -38%
Elizabethtown $26,000 160 +6%
Lexington $28,000 1,350 +46%
Louisville $29,000 2,090 -12%
Owensboro $29,000 90 -44%

Louisiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Alexandria $22,000 310 +37%
Baton Rouge $27,000 360 -75%
Houma $25,000 40 -88%
Lafayette $24,000 140 -74%
Lake Charles $24,000 120 -62%
Monroe $28,000 130 -52%
New Orleans $29,000 680 -67%
Shreveport $30,000 350 -49%

Maine

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bangor $31,000 430 +100%
Lewiston $28,000 410 +136%
Portland $34,000 1,400 +83%

Maryland

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Baltimore $34,000 6,030 +17%
Bethesda $37,000 2,100 -7%
Cumberland $28,000 260 +112%
Hagerstown $31,000 310 -12%
Salisbury $31,000 320 +73%

Massachusetts

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Barnstable Town $39,000 820 +126%
Boston $41,000 11,200 +63%
Brockton $36,000 660 +102%
Framingham $34,000 900 +46%
Haverhill $35,000 500 +69%
Lawrence $31,000 510 +144%
Leominster $35,000 350 +106%
Lowell $37,000 380 -15%
New Bedford $33,000 690 +202%
Peabody $39,000 680 +82%
Pittsfield $31,000 270 +154%
Springfield $35,000 1,860 +62%
Taunton $41,000 160 +5%
Worcester $36,000 2,160 +124%

Michigan

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ann Arbor $33,000 370 -41%
Battle Creek $33,000 50 -72%
Detroit $30,000 1,840 -30%
Flint $28,000 240 -50%
Grand Rapids $31,000 600 -59%
Holland $30,000 240 -32%
Kalamazoo $30,000 80 -84%
Lansing $32,000 570 -25%
Monroe $28,000 60 -51%
Muskegon $30,000 60 -69%
Niles $31,000 60 -70%
Saginaw $29,000 360 +22%
Warren $31,000 2,630 -38%

Minnesota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Duluth $33,000 460 -5%
Mankato $33,000 60 -69%
Minneapolis $38,000 4,120 -41%
Rochester $39,000 1,950 +419%
St Cloud $35,000 240 -31%

Mississippi

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Gulfport $30,000 110 -72%
Hattiesburg $26,000 50 -75%
Jackson $29,000 130 -87%
Pascagoula $28,000 70 -56%

Missouri

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Girardeau $27,000 680 +349%
Columbia $29,000 1,020 +254%
Jefferson City $28,000 430 +63%
Joplin $26,000 640 +126%
Kansas City $31,000 5,940 +49%
Springfield $27,000 1,380 +90%
St Joseph $28,000 450 +157%
St Louis $32,000 9,310 +77%

Montana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Billings $31,000 230 -24%
Great Falls $29,000 230 +88%
Missoula $26,000 330 +82%

Nebraska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lincoln $29,000 690 +14%
Omaha $31,000 1,380 -25%

Nevada

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Carson City $34,000 90 +8%
Las Vegas $38,000 1,530 -54%
Reno $38,000 460 -37%

New Hampshire

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Manchester $37,000 370 -3%
Nashua $32,000 450 -12%
Portsmouth $41,000 200 0%
Rochester $35,000 200 +8%

New Jersey

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Atlantic City $40,000 220 -60%
Camden $36,000 2,020 -2%
Edison $36,000 3,630 -10%
Newark $38,000 4,520 +15%
Ocean City $33,000 70 -50%
Trenton $37,000 870 0%
Vineland $35,000 240 +14%

New Mexico

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albuquerque $34,000 540 -64%
Farmington $29,000 120 -30%
Las Cruces $27,000 70 -69%
Santa Fe $34,000 160 -27%

New York

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $31,000 610 -65%
Binghamton $26,000 150 -64%
Buffalo $32,000 1,050 -52%
Glens Falls $28,000 170 -6%
Kingston $27,000 50 -76%
Nassau $35,000 1,970 -61%
New York $39,000 5,960 -71%
Poughkeepsie $31,000 240 -75%
Rochester $27,000 1,030 -48%
Syracuse $30,000 600 -51%
Utica $28,000 120 -74%

North Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Asheville $30,000 540 -20%
Burlington $27,000 120 -39%
Charlotte $31,000 1,810 -46%
Durham $33,000 990 -7%
Fayetteville $28,000 230 -51%
Goldsboro $30,000 110 -19%
Greensboro $28,000 960 -31%
Greenville $26,000 480 +100%
Hickory $28,000 350 -37%
Jacksonville $25,000 150 +4%
Raleigh $30,000 940 -54%
Rocky Mount $27,000 190 -6%
Wilmington $29,000 430 -16%
Winston Salem $28,000 1,010 +25%

North Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bismarck $26,000 230 0%
Fargo $31,000 170 -62%
Grand Forks $30,000 60 -64%

Ohio

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Akron $29,000 2,780 +123%
Canton $25,000 1,370 +118%
Cincinnati $30,000 6,310 +58%
Cleveland $31,000 7,900 +96%
Columbus $30,000 6,860 +89%
Dayton $28,000 2,730 +83%
Lima $28,000 400 +122%
Mansfield $27,000 490 +174%
Sandusky $27,000 190 +65%
Springfield $28,000 330 +101%
Steubenville $26,000 240 +71%
Toledo $28,000 2,100 +85%
Youngstown $25,000 1,810 +108%

Oklahoma

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawton $26,000 80 -42%
Oklahoma City $29,000 1,900 -16%
Tulsa $28,000 990 -41%

Oregon

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bend $32,000 750 +238%
Corvallis $35,000 270 +211%
Eugene $32,000 1,290 +145%
Medford $31,000 960 +246%
Portland $35,000 7,890 +96%
Salem $32,000 990 +77%

Pennsylvania

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Allentown $31,000 1,150 -15%
Altoona $30,000 250 +17%
Erie $26,000 520 +9%
Harrisburg $29,000 1,470 +18%
Johnstown $24,000 240 +23%
Lancaster $32,000 630 -30%
Lebanon $29,000 110 -29%
Philadelphia $35,000 5,830 -23%
Pittsburgh $29,000 3,560 -21%
Reading $27,000 390 -38%
Scranton $27,000 460 -54%
State College $29,000 90 -59%
Williamsport $26,000 150 -16%
York $31,000 550 -18%

Rhode Island

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Providence $35,000 3,280 +50%

South Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $28,000 240 +22%
Charleston $32,000 770 -31%
Columbia $28,000 830 -39%
Florence $25,000 660 +132%
Greenville $29,000 1,000 -14%
Myrtle Beach $27,000 220 -45%
Spartanburg $27,000 420 -2%
Sumter $25,000 180 +68%

South Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Rapid City $28,000 40 -82%
Sioux Falls $31,000 30 -94%

Tennessee

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Chattanooga $27,000 870 0%
Clarksville $26,000 230 -18%
Jackson $24,000 300 +46%
Johnson City $25,000 100 -61%
Kingsport $28,000 460 +2%
Knoxville $27,000 770 -41%
Memphis $27,000 1,080 -55%
Morristown $23,000 90 -42%
Nashville $31,000 1,450 -50%

Texas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Abilene $24,000 250 +12%
Amarillo $29,000 430 +10%
Austin $34,000 2,630 -15%
Beaumont $24,000 790 +30%
Brownsville $25,000 870 +79%
College Station $30,000 360 +7%
Corpus Christi $28,000 760 +12%
Dallas $32,000 10,020 +21%
El Paso $28,000 1,310 +25%
Fort Worth $30,000 3,860 +13%
Houston $31,000 13,820 +33%
Killeen $26,000 390 -19%
Laredo $25,000 280 -1%
Longview $26,000 510 +46%
Lubbock $24,000 990 +111%
Mcallen $22,000 1,780 +102%
Midland $31,000 250 +13%
Odessa $27,000 280 +42%
San Angelo $26,000 240 +72%
San Antonio $27,000 4,980 +45%
Sherman $31,000 270 +94%
Tyler $28,000 890 +171%
Victoria $30,000 340 +107%
Waco $28,000 480 +31%
Wichita Falls $24,000 230 +19%

Utah

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Logan $24,000 180 +11%
Ogden $28,000 980 +29%
Provo $31,000 770 +20%
Salt Lake City $30,000 2,460 +3%
St George $30,000 350 +124%

Vermont

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Burlington $32,000 560 +36%

Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Blacksburg $27,000 120 -44%
Charlottesville $33,000 120 -62%
Danville $32,000 90 -21%
Lynchburg $33,000 140 -61%
Richmond $30,000 970 -60%
Roanoke $28,000 360 -39%
Virginia Beach $33,000 1,130 -62%
Winchester $30,000 110 -36%

Washington

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bellingham $35,000 560 +113%
Bremerton $37,000 630 +110%
Kennewick $33,000 470 +28%
Longview $34,000 220 +103%
Mount Vernon $41,000 360 +139%
Olympia $35,000 700 +94%
Seattle $40,000 7,780 +40%
Spokane $34,000 1,360 +74%
Tacoma $38,000 2,250 +121%
Wenatchee $33,000 290 +123%
Yakima $32,000 540 +79%

West Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Charleston $28,000 420 -23%
Huntington $26,000 690 +64%
Morgantown $26,000 50 -73%
Parkersburg $24,000 210 -13%
Wheeling $24,000 250 +9%

Wisconsin

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Appleton $32,000 450 +6%
Eau Claire $29,000 400 +51%
Fond $28,000 150 +4%
Green Bay $30,000 590 -7%
La Crosse $32,000 330 +29%
Madison $32,000 710 -46%
Milwaukee $30,000 3,560 +9%
Oshkosh $32,000 420 +32%
Racine $31,000 400 +50%
Sheboygan $29,000 250 +28%
Wausau $32,000 270 +15%

Wyoming

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Casper $32,000 140 +16%
Cheyenne $29,000 240 +67%
*FOOTNOTES: Job Facts salary and numbers data is based on US Department of Labor Statistics data for 2011. Other data on page may be from earlier years. Typical salary is given as median salary, where 50% in the job make more and 50% less. Salary range is Job Hunt's estimates of typical starting salary as being at the 10th percentile of reported pay and typical top end salary, for the most senior workers, as being at the 90th. Job openings is an estimate of new jobs every year due to growth plus those leaving the field. Where NA is given data is not available. Suggested studies is based on Job Hunt research, suggesting a minimum degree level that is judged to offer the best opportunities for entry-level employment. This Medical Secretaries schools and career page was originally researched by CityTownInfo.com.