In this Article
By: Kendall Upton
Professional insights: Michelle Keim
Although some people may be perfectly content working as a medical assistant throughout their career, many often wonder how to keep their career moving forward even if they want to remain in the medical assisting profession for the long haul. Others may choose to work as a medical assistant as a steppingstone to another healthcare career.
“The versatility of a medical assistant allows them to work in a lot of different settings. Every environment is going to give their own unique training and provide them with their own experience. But there’s professional growth no matter which direction they take,” said Michelle Keim, Medical Assisting Program Director at Indian River State College in Florida’s Port St. Lucie.
This then begs the question—where else could your career take you after becoming a medical assistant? Let’s explore some of the possibilities.
Advancements within medical assisting
Medical assistants have a few different avenues they can take within the medical assisting field. Most don’t usually require additional education, but they are also not typically entry-level roles:
Lead medical assistant:
Oversee and supervise a team of medical assistants, which may include training new assistants, creating staff schedules and ensuring high quality care from all team members.
Medical administrative assistant:
Shift exclusively to performing administrative functions such as greeting patients, taking them to exam rooms, answering phones, updating patient records and possibly some billing responsibilities.
Clinical medical assistant:
Counterpart to an administrative medical assistant, a clinical medical assistant performs mostly clinical tasks like taking vital signs, assisting with minor procedures, administering medications and more.
Medical office manager:
Oversee a medical office’s administrative operations, including any administrative medical assistants.
“There are some MAs and that’s what they want their career to be, and that can absolutely work. Then they can jump into a lead position, or sometimes you’ll see that they move into more administrative positions,” Keim said. “And a lot of companies like to promote that growth within.”
Additional certifications
Medical assistants can learn additional skills within their scope of practice and can even earn certifications that validate their competencies in skills like electrocardiogram (EKG) tests and phlebotomy.
Bear in mind, however, that each certifying organization has their own eligibility requirements for each certification. Typically, you need to qualify for and pass an exam to earn the certification. Sufficient on-the-job training may allow you to sit for the exam, while other certifications may require you to complete a formal diploma or certificate program specific to that skill.
Some states even have state-specific certifications for medical assistants in these specialized areas. In Washington state, for example, they have a Medical Assistant – Phlebotomist and Medical Assistant – Hemodialysis certification.
Specialized areas of medicine
Another way that medical assistants can customize their career is by working in specific areas of medicine. By doing this, you get to work with patients facing a lot of the same medical issues and become intimately familiar with the treatments and procedures that are common within the field.
Working at physician offices, outpatient clinics and hospital departments that focus on a particular medical specialty are all possible avenues to gain experience in one area. Some medical specialties available to medical assistants include, but are not limited to:
Other allied health roles
Medical assistants that desire a career with a narrower focus may be able to pivot into several other allied health roles:
Phlebotomist:
Phlebotomists draw blood day in and out. They often work in hospitals, clinics and diagnostic labs to draw blood for testing, research and donation. Some jobs may require that phlebotomists complete a phlebotomy education program, but experience as a medical assistant—especially since many medical assistants already know how to draw blood—may be sufficient.
EKG technician:
EKG technicians perform EKG tests to measure the electrical activity in a patient’s heart. Similar to phlebotomists, EKG technicians may need to complete a formal EKG program in order to qualify, but this varies. Some medical assistants can perform EKGs, so your experience as a medical assistant may be enough.
Radiology technicians:
Radiology techs perform diagnostic imaging on patients like X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Though your medical assisting experience will be useful, you’ll need to complete a formal radiography program in order to qualify for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification.
Clinical advancements
Working as a medical assistant is a great way for someone to feel out whether a more advanced patient care role is a good fit for them.
“I’ve had a lot of students who also get into medical assisting because they want to go to med school or PA school, and in order to get into those programs, you have to have a pretty significant number of clinical hours. And most places will not allow you to do that unless you have an appropriate credential,” Keim said.
For those that want to level up their clinical career, there are several options to choose from:
Licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN):
As an LPN/LVN, you’ll move away from administrative tasks and focus only on direct patient care with an expanded scope of practice. However, you’ll need to complete a practical nursing program first. There are even some bridge programs which help medical assistants transition to an LPN career. After completing your education, you must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for practical nursing (NCLEX-PN) and apply for licensure in your state.
Registered nurse (RN):
Becoming a nurse is a natural next step for many medical assistants. To do so, you need to complete either an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing, pass the NCLEX-RN exam and apply for state licensure. Once you have experience as an RN, you also have the option of becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) if you decide to get a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Examples of APRNS include nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists and clinical nurse specialists.
Physician assistant (PA):
If you want to make a big leap into a highly advanced clinical role, you may wish to work as a PA. These healthcare professionals focus on diagnosing and treating illnesses under a doctor’s supervision. To become a PA, you need to complete an accredited PA program which typically takes about three years. Many PA programs require applicants to have some prior healthcare experience and working as a medical assistant is a great option. Keep in mind, however, that most PA programs also require applicants to already have a bachelor’s degree.
Healthcare administration paths
Maybe you’ve given medical assisting a try and you’ve realized that direct patient care isn’t for you, but you’re still passionate about healthcare. Moving into healthcare administration is a logical next step. With your experience as a medical assistant under your belt, you’re in an excellent position to transition into a variety of administrative roles.
Consider these healthcare administration jobs to see if they interest you:
Medical biller and/or coder:
Medical billers and coders work together to process billing and insurance documentation. Coders review patient records and select standardized codes that correspond to the care and services the patient received. Billers then use these codes to submit insurance claims for reimbursement. In some settings, the same person handles billing and coding together. Medical assistants can make excellent medical billers and coders because they already have some medical knowledge which is essential to code and bill properly.
Health information technician:
If you’re interested in technology and data management, then a career as a health information technician could be a great option for medical assistants. These professionals use software to organize, analyze, manage and protect patient data. Qualifications for these roles vary—you may need to go back to school for a certificate or associate degree in health informatics or something similar.
Patient experience manager:
These healthcare administrators work with healthcare staff to improve patient experience factors. They do this by conducting surveys, analyzing data, educating staff members, implementing patient experience programs and more. As someone with experience working directly with patients and doing back-end administrative work, medical assistants are well poised for a career in patient experience. Keep in mind that since this usually is a managerial role, you may need at least a bachelor’s degree to qualify.
What’s next?
Medical assistants are in an ideal position to pivot to a variety of other roles in allied healthcare, nursing, healthcare administration and more. Though additional education and credentials may be required for some jobs, having medical assisting experience can provide a valuable boost to any future program applications by demonstrating your commitment to the field of healthcare.
