Achieving a Medical Assisting Degree 

Many U.S. colleges and universities are offering two year programs leading to an Associate Degree (AS) in Medicla Assisting, vs. just a certificate, or diploma from various shorter voctational training programs. This always leads to questions such as:     "Is a Medical Assisting degree worth my time and money?".

"Will a Medical Assisting degree from a college better my chances to get hired?". In other words: Aspiring medical medical assistants are unsure whether they should pursue their vocational training in a shorter medical assistant program that leads to just a diploma, rather than spending all that time and money in college to achieve a degree.

The vast amount of training that only a AS degree can provide gives medical assistants advantages they and their employers can count on.  And when it comes to competing with other medical assistants for better positions and promotions you can't do better than a college education and A.S. degree, especially in today's highly advanced medical and health care industry.

Many colleges and universities offering a medical assisting associates degree program are closely affiliated with teaching hospitals and clinics in their community, and they have the support they need to place their MA students into various hospitals for their clinical externship, and provide job placement for their graduates. An AS degree in Medical Assisting can open doors to countless opportunities virtually anywhere in the world.

Claudia told us: "... my school places you in a hospital or clinic for training, and most graduates find jobs right where they did their externship."

Steven told us: "... the last graduating class had one hundred percent of their medical assistants find jobs. That's good news, considering the current economy!"

Cecilia told us: "... having graduated with an AS degree helped to eliminate the usual 1-2 years of experience requirement most employers want before they even hire medical assistants."

We know of many medical assistant graduates that were immediately hired into permanent possions at the place where they did their externship. An ever increasing number of doctors are putting expertly trained medical assistants with a degree in positions previously held by nursing staff, such as RNs, or LPNs, and get involved in procedures such as

  EKG and Holter monitoring
  injections
  X-rays
  allergy testing
  visual and auditory accuity screening
  ultrasound
  medical office administration