Online Degrees in Medical Assistant
An online certificate or degree in medical assisting provides students with the credentials they need to enter a career in the health care profession. The two most common degrees held by medical assistants at entry level are as follows.
- Online Medical Assistant Certification provides opportunities for advancement and assures potential employers that the candidate has had special education and training related to the field or specific career.
- Online Medical Assistant Associate Degree offers basic training for entry level jobs in the health care profession as a medical assistant. This degree may enhance opportunities for advancement as well.
Online Medical Assistant Courses
Coursework in programs for online medical assistant degrees may vary depending on the college and degree level. However, some common courses to expect include information on anatomy, pharmacology, medical terminology, medical office procedures, basic CPR, medical insurance, medical administration, medical documentation, health care law, medical record filing and retrieval systems, insurance coding, urinalysis, medical coding, internal anatomy, microbiology, ethics in health care, and others.
Medical Assistant Degree Careers and Salary Information
An online degree in medical assisting enables people to enter a career as a records and chart manager, laboratory assistant, medical transcriptionist, clinical supervisor, practice manager, office supervisor, certified medical assistant. The median entry level salary for people with a degree in medical assisting is $28,446. However, this may range from $24,108 to $33,387 depending on the person's employment setting, level of education, and on-the-job experience. Employment settings may include offices of physicians, hospitals, outpatient care facilities, offices of other health care practitioners, nursing care facilities, residential care facilities, and related health care industries. The number of medical assistant careers is projected to grow by 35% by 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Technological advances and a growing population in need of medical services will increase the demand for additional health workers.