Career Talk Blog | Is Clinical Medical Assisting a Good Career for You?

You’ve come to the right place if you are a military spouse seeking training for an extremely portable, highly demanded career.

Our Clinical Medical Assistant online certification program is one of our most popular.

The Major Group’s partner schools offer over 80 MyCAA approved courses, many of them in the healthcare industry. With so many options how do you know which one is the best fit for you? We’ve provided you with some information about what Clinical Medical Assistants do to help you determine if becoming a certified CMA is the best way for you to use your MyCAA grant.

If you’ve been to the doctor before, you’ve interacted with a CMA and may not have even realized it! Their job is crucial for healthcare facilities to run effectively.

 

What do Clinical Medical Assistants do?

Your duties will vary depending on what type of practice you are working at. You will be working with patients, charting vitals and getting medical history. You will be using a variety of equipment including EKG machines and computers. CMAs may draw blood, take blood pressure, prepare patients for x-rays, collect specimen samples, and assist the doctor with other procedures as needed.

CMAs may help with administrative work such as billing, maintaining inventory, and scheduling appointments. Your day-to-day responsibilities are always changing depending on office and patient needs.

 

Who should become a Clinical Medical Assistant?

CMAs must be respectful, patient and understanding. Being a good listener is a must. Patients who are stressed and ill can become easily frustrated and need to have full trust in their healthcare providers. CMAs must be able to multi-task, take direction well from others, and be comfortable working in a healthcare environment.

 

How can you become a Clinical Medical Assistant?

For military spouses, most often the best way to become a CMA is to take an online certification program through an accredited school. This is the fastest way to get the reliable training you need. You also have the option to take a two-year associate’s program. Both certification and associate’s programs are offered online or in traditional school environments. Both should prepare you for an exam that allows you to work as a CMA.

The Major Group’s partner CMA course is 100% online, at your own pace, and takes about 6 months to complete. Our course suits the military spouse lifestyle, even during a PCS. The course covers three major sections: Clinical Medical Assistant, EKG, and Phlebotomy. It includes an optional clinical externship where you will get placed at a local healthcare provider to get real work experience. The cost of the national certification exam is included, which you will take in person at a testing center.