Are you ready to take your healthcare career to the next level?
Becoming a medical assistant isn’t just a great first step in healthcare. It’s the gateway to an array of new career paths that could take you to positions you never imagined.
The healthcare industry is on fire right now. If you play your cards right, there are ways to position yourself to benefit from that by snagging a bigger paycheck and more responsibilities.
Let’s dive in…
What you’ll discover:
- Why Medical Assistant Career Growth Is Booming
- Top 5 Career Advancement Paths For MAs That Pay More
- Specialization Options That Boost Your Pay
- How To Fast-Track Career Ladder Advancement
Job growth is projected to increase by 15% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than most other careers. There are 119,800 job openings every single year across the U.S.
Why Medical Assistant Career Growth Is Booming
Right now, healthcare is being disrupted by two major trends…
- Baby boomers are aging. This rapidly expanding population of older adults need more healthcare services than ever before. It’s expected to double by 2060.
- Technology is taking over. Electronic health records, telehealth, advanced diagnostic equipment, all require skilled medical professionals.
And where are medical assistants at the center of it all?
Medical assistants are becoming the swiss army knives of healthcare — doing both clinical and administrative work to keep medical facilities running.
There’s huge demand for medical assistants right now, and it’s not going away anytime soon.
If you’re thinking about becoming a medical assistant or you’re already working as one, you’ve picked the perfect time to be in this field.
The median annual wage for medical assistants is $40,890, but the highest salaries can reach up to $73,560 per year.
Top 5 Career Advancement Paths For MAs That Pay More
Let’s break down the most popular and highest-paying advancement paths available to medical assistants right now…
1. Advanced Medical Assistant Roles
The path of least resistance once you get your feet wet as an entry-level medical assistant is just to keep advancing your position internally with your employer.
Medical assistants with a few years of experience often qualify for advanced positions with more responsibilities (and more money).
Advanced medical assistants typically handle supervisory roles and are responsible for training new employees.
The payoff? Salaries range from $35,000 to $50,000 per year for advanced medical assistants. That’s a solid bump from entry-level salaries.
2. Medical Office Management
If you want to make some serious bank, management is the way to go.
Medical office managers (MOMs) supervise the entire administrative staff of healthcare facilities. This includes billing, patient scheduling, maintaining records, and human resources.
Medical office managers earn between $45,000 to $65,000 on average per year.
3. Specialized Clinical Roles
Want to get a little dirty with advanced medical procedures?
There are a number of clinical specializations for medical assistants, including phlebotomy technician, EKG technician, and surgical technician roles.
Specialty focused clinical MAs typically earn between $35,000 to $55,000 per year.
4. Healthcare Administration
Love the business side of healthcare? Admin roles are a good place to grow.
Health information technologists earn about $62,990 per year deciphering the numerical jungle of patient data.
5. Nursing & Advanced Practice Roles
The easiest way to shift from medical assistant to registered nurse is to use your MA experience as a stepping stone.
Get a few years of work experience as an MA (2-3 typically), complete an accelerated RN program, combine you medical training with nursing education then, best of all, pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and you’re in.
The payoff is huge. Registered nurses earn a median salary of $77,460 per year. Specialized nurses earn even more.
Specialization Options That Boost Your Pay
Did you know that specializing in a medical field can get you a major bump in earning power?
The highest-paying medical assistant jobs are often specialized. Specializing in a particular medical specialty makes you way more valuable to employers.
Here are some hot specialization areas:
- Cardiology: Assisting with cardiovascular procedures and patients.
- Dermatology: Helping with skin treatments and procedures.
- Pediatrics: Working with children and family medicine.
- Orthopedics: Assisting with musculoskeletal treatments.
- Oncology: Supporting cancer treatment.
Specialized MAs can often earn 10-20% more than generalists.
Bonus: many employers will pay you to get specialty training if you commit to staying for X years.
How To Fast-Track Career Ladder Advancement
Want to accelerate your career growth ASAP? Here’s the game plan…
Get Certified (If Not Already)
If you aren’t certified, get certified. Certified medical assistants (CMAs) have much better job prospects and starting salaries than non-certified MAs.
Certifications include:
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) through the American Medical Technologists (AMT).
- Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Continuing Education & Skill Building
The healthcare industry changes fast. Continuing your education is crucial to moving up the career ladder.
Look for classes and training that build skills in things like electronic health records systems, updates to medical billing codes, and emerging healthcare technology.
Build A Professional Network
Networking isn’t just for power hungry businessmen and women. It’s also a crucial part of career growth in the healthcare field.
Join medical assistant associations like AAMA and make connections with fellow MAs on LinkedIn.
MA Career Paths With Double Salary Potential
By far, the best way to take your salary from “okay” to “good” is to shift into a leadership role. Leadership and management positions in healthcare can easily double your earning potential versus entry-level MA work.
Medical office managers
This is the top dog when it comes to career advancement for medical assistants. Salaries range from $77,000 to $132,000 annually and can go higher in very large practices.
Medical assistant instructors
Teaching others is one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet, and medical assistant instructors are no exception.
Teaching positions can range from $45,000 to $70,000 per year for instructors, depending on the size and scope of the program.
Department supervisors
Many hospitals are large enough to have medical assistant supervisory roles. These positions usually pay 25-40% more than standard MA work.
Technology Skills That Will Give You An Edge
Did you know that the medical assistants who tend to advance the fastest are the ones who embrace technology the most?
Healthcare is going through an IT revolution. Electronic records, cloud-based systems, and computerized diagnostic equipment are everywhere. Medical assistants who are comfortable with technology will always be in huge demand.
Essential technology skills include electronic health records (EHR) systems, Practice Management Software, and Medical Billing Software.
In fact, MAs who can train others on new technology often end up getting promoted.
Breaking Into In-Demand Industries
Not all medical assistant careers are created equal…
Outpatient care centers typically pay the best salaries. The median annual wage is highest at outpatient care centers, often 15-20% higher than the national average.
Large health systems offer better internal advancement paths with clear career ladders.
Telehealth companies have opened up a whole new world of medical assistant career paths. Be prepared to adapt to remote work if you’re going this route.
Wrapping Up
Medical assisting offers one of the clearest paths to career success in healthcare…
With job growth at 15% through 2033 and salaries ranging from entry level to 6-figure management positions, the possibilities are virtually unlimited.
Here’s your action plan:
- If not already done, get certified ASAP
- Choose a medical assistant specialization that interests you
- Gain experience working in different healthcare settings
- Build your professional network of fellow MAs
- Set your sights on moving into leadership roles
The healthcare industry needs skilled medical professionals now more than ever. Medical assistants who are willing to learn and adapt will find themselves surrounded with more opportunities than they know what to do with.
The best part? You don’t need years of experience to start taking advantage of these opportunities. Many of the career advancement paths mentioned can start within your first 1-2 years on the job.
Your healthcare career is waiting for you to take it to the next level. So how high do you want to climb?
Founder Dinis Guarda
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