Medical Assistant Programs In Montana

Warning: Undefined array key "random_ads_start_direction" in /home/u271425115/domains/healthcarecareersguide.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/ad-injection/ad-injection.php on line 1087

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/u271425115/domains/healthcarecareersguide.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-word-count/public/class-wpwc-public.php on line 123

Overview

According to medicalassistantschools.com “Those seeking a job as a medical assistant in Montana will be happy to hear that the state’s health care sector has seen good growth over the past five years, most of which has taken place in urban areas”. This makes Montana a fairly stable place to study as a medical assistant. However it must be noted that, in comparison to several other states, Montana does not offer a large number of schools at which you can train to be a medical assistant. In addition the salaries that you can expect to earn in different areas across the state are not as good as the ones you would expect to earn in other areas of the country. It is important that when you look into medical assistant programs in Montana that you take the time to consider all of the options, even though they are limited, because different schools can vary considerably in terms of the cost of the tuition, and the reputation of the school. In addition it is important to ensure that the program you enroll in is appropriately accredited b the necessary accrediting bodies for the state of Montana before you enroll in it.

What Is A Medical Assistant?

Essentially a medical assistant is a person that assists a doctor or physician in their daily tasks. Job duties include:

• Taking patient history and measuring vital signs
• Helping the physician with patient examinations
• Giving patient injections as directed by the physician
• Scheduling patient appointments
• Preparing blood for laboratory tests

These basic tasks cannot be performed by the doctor himself as he needs to keep his hands and his time free for more important tasks. This makes the medical assistant a very valuable part of the health care team.

There are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant. Most education that can be done in this line of work is voluntary rather than compulsory, although it must be noted that many employers prefer you to hold a diploma or certificate in medical assisting before they will hire you. Having an educational qualification makes you more employable and therefore increases your career opportunities. Some states also require you to hold a qualification of some kind.

The outlook for medical assistants is very good as the medical industry is one that is always on the increase even when times are tough economically speaking.

Medical Assistant Training In Montana

In Montana there may not be many schools to choose form, but the ones that are on offer are of good quality. In addition you will be able to attain a high level of education form these schools which will increase your chances of being employed over other medical assistant candidates for the same post. There are also a number of scholarships that you may be able to take advantage of in Montana which will make studying for your medical assistant qualification far easier. These include:

• The Presidential Scholarships
• The Resident Freshman University Scholarships
• The Non-Resident Freshman University Scholarships

A scholarship is usually awarded on the basis of merit and consists of financial aid that can be used to pay for your program. This amount does not need to be repaid. Grants offered but the government is also an option in terms of finding a way to pay for your medical assistant program. Grants are awarded based on need rather than on merit and usually you also do not need to repay them with money. However in some cases you may need to repay the grant by working in an underserved part of the state for a set period of time.

Medical Assistant Careers In Montana

After graduating from an accredited program in Montana, prospective medical assistants should consider getting certification through the American Association of Medical Assistants in order to secure better jobs. This will definitely have a significant impact on your career outlook as a medical assistant in this state. In addition, although neither education nor certification is a requirements, some employers will not even consider your application if you do not have both. That is why it is so important for you to consider the various medical assistant training programs in Montana before applying for a job. A training program of this kind need not take long, unless you choose to do an associate’s degree. Certification will also not require too much of your time. Consequently, in the long run, you will be impressed by the large number of opportunities that receiving these basic qualifications will open up for you. In addition belonging to any societies of medical assistants will make a huge difference to your career opportunities as these societies frequently offer financial aid for further educations as well as continuing education credits and opportunities. These resources are invaluable and allow you to actively work towards improving your standing as a medical assistant.

List Of Medical Assistant Programs In Montana

Student who would like to become medical assistants in Montana may have a hard time achieving this goal. That is because only a few medical assistant programs in Montana exist. Two of the better programs that are appropriately accredited are listed below. If you hear of a program other than the two mentioned here it is your responsibility to look into that program carefully in order to ensure that it is properly accredited and that you will not be wasting your time and money by enrolling in it. A non-accredited program will count for nothing and you will struggle to find employment.

Flathead Valley Community College

Campus Locations in: Kalispell, MT

Matching Programs: Medical Assistant Program

Program Types Offered: Associate Degree

Programmatic Accreditation: CAAHEP

Montana State University-Billings

Campus Locations in: Billings, MT

Matching Programs: Medical Assistant Program

Program Types Offered: Associate Degree

Programmatic Accreditation: CAAHEP

When it comes to medical assistant training programs it is interesting to note that online study is an option. This certainly broadens your opportunities in the state of Montana as it makes it easier to enroll in programs offered in other states. However you will find that different states may have different requirements for allowing medical assistants to work in them, so it will be better to attend a program that is actually in Montana as this will be guaranteed to meet the appropriate state requirements. Some online schools do account for these differences, however, so it is still a viable option.

Pay

In Montana the mean wage for all medical assistants is in the region of $29,140 a year with an average hourly rate of about $14.01. In the bottom 10% of the pay bracket medical assistants in Montana can earn about $20,450 a year while in the top 10% you can expect to earn about $37,680 in Montana. The area in Montana that you work in will also affect how much you can earn as a medical assistant in this state:

• In Billings you can expect to earn $36,294 a year
• In Helena you can expect to earn $35,653 a year
• In Butte you can expect to earn $35,653 a year
• In Missoula you can expect to earn $34,829 a year
• In Glendive you can expect to earn $32,849 a year
• In Poplar you can expect to earn $34,376 a year
• In Great Falls you can expect to earn $32,341 a year

This state pays a little lower in all regions than many other states, but the salaries that you can expect to earn in Montana are still quite good, making the profession of a medical assistant a good one to consider. The industry that you work in or the specific employer that you work for can have a further effect on the salary that you earn in Montana as a medical assistant and it is interesting to note that in some cases men are paid more than women. The level of education you achieve could also play a role in the salary that you are eligible to earn.

Medical assistant training does not take very long. The main advantage is that it gives you a way into the medical profession, one of the fastest growing professions in existence, and gives you a number of opportunities for expansion within that profession once you have completed additional education. A medical assistant is an important member of any medical team and consequently a number of medical assistant programs in Montana have sprung up in order to account for the increased need in professionals in this area.