Pre-register for our upcoming Hybrid CCMA course for May 2025.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
Become a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Online
This course will train you to become a critical healthcare team member. Clinical medical assistants combine clinical and procedural knowledge, working across the domain of healthcare facilities to aid in patient care and in-office procedures. They are tasked with working directly with patients and supporting the work of doctors and other healthcare professionals. This course will prepare you to work as a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA), designated by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Job Outlook for Certified Clinical Medical Assistants
The healthcare field offers one of the leading areas of opportunities for career growth today. Within healthcare, medical assistants are among the most in-demand professionals.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates 14% growth and 114,600 new job opportunities between now and 2032. According to the BLS, medical assistants earn an average annual salary of $38,270 (as of May 2022). Indeed.com reports that the average wage for a certified medical assistant in the U.S. is $45,061 per year as of Dec. 17, 2023. Texas has the second highest employment level in the nation with nearly 66,720 Medical Assistant jobs as of May 2023.
What does a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) job involve?
Medical assistants are critical members of healthcare teams in a variety of medical settings. As a CCMA, you are often the first and last person a patient interacts with, making a lasting impact on the patient's experience. CCMAs are flexible, performing a variety of tasks such as:
- Taking patient vital signs
- Assisting providers with exams and procedures
- Administering injections or medications
- Performing EKG, phlebotomy and other essential laboratory procedures
- Checking patients in and out upon arrival and departure
- Answering phone calls and questions
- Updating and maintaining electronic health records (EHR)
Are CCMAs the same as CNAs?
While CCMAs may serve in a variety of roles in the healthcare setting, including office processes, clinical procedures and patient management, certified nurse assistants (CNAs) work full-time with patients and may help with basic care activities such as dressing, bathing, and moving patients while they are under medical care.
Do clinical medical assistants need certification?
The healthcare environment operates based on professionalism, precision, and dedication to patient welfare. Medical assistant certification may be required for many jobs. The NHA estimates 89% of employers require or encourage certification. Earning a certification such as the CCMA establishes a medical assistant as a caring, responsible professional who has undergone a study and assessment program to validate their credentials.
In what facilities do CCMAs work?
Certified clinical medical assistants commonly work in hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities, according to the BLS.
- Learn the necessary skills to function as a vital member of the healthcare team in an ambulatory setting
- Understand ethical behavior, therapeutic communication, protecting the privacy of patient information
- Demonstrate the importance of a first impression, maintaining a safe office environment
- Identify medical terminology and clinical procedures
- Summarize the importance of the revenue cycle, the role of a practice manager, and the undertaking of risk management strategies to achieve medical practice efficiency
- Identify the professional traits that a medical assistant must possess
- Learn the various administrative and clinical job duties of a medical assistant
- Summarize the techniques and best practices for obtaining a medical assisting position
- Prepare to sit for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the NHA
For more information, contact the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at PaCE@uiwtx.edu.