Western Washington Area Health Education Center
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
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WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Health
Professionals/
Student Placement
Health Career
Information
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
HOPE
Preceptor & Site Resources
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Volunteer/Retired
Providers Program
K-12 Learning Resources
aka Science
Allied Health
Health Career
Information
HOPE
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Statewide Office
of Rural Health
Community Health
Assessment, Planning
& Development
Primary Care
Provider Recruitment
Shop
WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Health
Professionals/
Student Placement
Health Career
Information
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
HOPE
Preceptor & Site Resources
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Volunteer/Retired
Providers Program
K-12 Learning Resources
aka Science
Allied Health
Health Career
Information
HOPE
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Statewide Office
of Rural Health
Community Health
Assessment, Planning
& Development
Primary Care
Provider Recruitment
Shop
WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Health
Professionals/
Student Placement
Health Career
Information
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
HOPE
Preceptor & Site Resources
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Volunteer/Retired
Providers Program
K-12 Learning Resources
aka Science
Allied Health
Health Career
Information
HOPE
Health Career Ambassadors
Health Career
Job Descriptions
Scholarship Info
Distance Learning
Statewide Office
of Rural Health
Community Health
Assessment, Planning
& Development
Primary Care
Provider Recruitment
Shop
Health Career Information
Medical Assistant
Job description
A medical assistant is a professional, multi-skilled person who is dedicated to assisting in all aspects of medical practice under the supervision of a physician. Most medical assistants have both clinical and clerical responsibilities. In a large office the medical assistant may specialize in either patient care or office functions. In a small office the medical assistant will handle both facets of the work.
Activities may include
●
take a patient's medical history
●
take and record a patient's height, weight, vital signs such as pulse, temperature, respiration, blood pressure and vision tests
●
prepare a patient for examination or treatment
●
perform routine laboratory tests
●
perform administrative tasks such as reception, typing, billing, scheduling of appointments, and maintaining medical records
●
sterilize equipment and set up supplies for medical examination
●
arrange for hospital admission or laboratory procedures
Salaries and benefits*
Entry level medical assistants average $1,473 to $1,733 per month depending on the employer and location. Clinics and doctors' offices often pay more than hospitals. With five to eight years of experience, medical assistants may earn $2,080 to $2,610 per month or more. MA's with two years of experience and health assistant certification to administer injections average $1,940 to $2,225. In Spokane County, medical assistants average $1,593 to $1,955 per month and in Yakima County they average $1,556 to $1,957 per month. In King, Snohomish and Island Counties medical assistants average $1,752 to $2,230 and in the Portland/Vancouver area they average $1,655 to $2,233 per month. The average wage for medical assistants in Washington State is $1,676 to $2,132 per month. Working for health care facilities in the Northwest, entry level medical assistants average $1,914 to $2,316 per month. The National average is $1,830 to $2,000 per month. Certified medical assistants generally receive higher salaries and more benefits than those without credentials.
Most medical assistants receive a full benefit package.
Training and requirements
Current training for a medical assistant is one to two years of vocational training at a community or vocational college. Skills centers in Washington may train students to become medical assistants along with their high school courses. At a post secondary level, medical assistant training is available at Apollo College, Bryman College (at the Everett, Lynnwood, Port Orchard, Renton and Tacoma campuses), Clark College, Clover Park Technical College, Everett Community College, Highline Community College, Lake Washington Technical College, Lower Columbia College, North Seattle Community College, Olympic College, Peninsula College, Pima Medical Institute (at both the Renton and Seattle campuses), Renton Technical College, Seattle Vocational Institute, Skagit Valley College, South Puget Sound Community College, Spokane Community College, Wenatchee Valley College (at both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses), Whatcom Community College and Yakima Valley Community College.
Necessary skills
●
good ability to learn new tasks and make judgments
●
good listening skills
●
good oral and written communication skills
●
good eye/hand coordination
●
ability to work positively with a variety of people
●
good team work skills
●
ability to type 45-50 wpm
Licensure/Certification
Certification is available through the American Association of Medical Assistants to graduates of either a one- or two-year training program, or after one year of experience in a medical office. Medical assistants who draw blood or administer skin tests or injections must be certified as health care assistants by the Washington State Department of Health. There are six categories of health care assistants certified by the state. Each category is based on the job duties performed by the assistant. Certification requirements vary depending on job duties.
Helpful high school courses
Include English, psychology, speech, math, accounting, chemistry, biology, physics, health, business, typing/keyboarding, business machines, basic computer skills, and first aid.
Colleges/Vocational Schools in Washington State
●
Apollo College
10102 E. Knox, Ste. 200
Spokane, WA 99206
(509) 532-8888
●
Bryman College
Everett Campus
(formerly Eton Technical Institute)
906 Everett Mall Way, Ste. 600
Everett, WA 98208
(425) 789-7960
Lynnwood Campus
19020 33rd Ave. W, Ste. 250
Lynnwood, WA 98036
(425) 778-9894
Port Orchard Campus (formerly Eton Technical Institute)
3649 Frontage Rd.
Port Orchard, WA 98367
(360) 473-1120
Renton Campus
981 Powell Ave., Ste. 200
Renton, WA 98055
(425) 255-3281
Tacoma Campus (formerly Eton Technical
Institute)
2156 Pacific Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 207-4000
●
Clark College
1800 E McLoughlin Blvd.
Vancouver, WA 98663
(360) 992-2000
●
Clover Park Technical College
4500 Steilacoom Blvd. SW
Tacoma, WA 98499-4098
(253) 589-5678
●
Everett Community College
2000 Tower St.
Everett, WA 98201
(425) 388-9100
●
Highline Community College
2400 S 240th St.
Des Moines, WA 98198-9800
(206) 878-3710
●
Lake Washington Technical College
11605 132nd Ave. NE
Kirkland, WA 98034-8506
(425) 739-8100
●
Lower Columbia College
1600 Maple St.
Longview, WA 98632-0310
(360) 442-2370
●
North Seattle Community College
9600 College Way North
Seattle, WA 98103-3599
(206) 527-3639
●
Olympic College
1600 Chester Ave.
Bremerton, WA 98337-1699
(800) 259-6718
●
Peninsula College
1502 E Lauridsen Blvd.
Port Angeles, WA 98362
(360) 452-9277
●
Pima Medical Institute
800-477-PIMA
Renton Campus
555 S. Renton Village Pl.
Renton, WA 98055
Seattle Campus
1627 Eastlake Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
●
Renton Technical College
3000 NE Fourth St.
Renton, WA 98056-4195
(425) 235-2352
●
Seattle Vocational Institute
2120 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98144-2220
(206) 587-4950
●
Skagit Valley College
2405 E. College Way
Mount Vernon, WA 98273-5899
(360) 416-7600
●
South Puget Sound Community College
2011 Mottman Rd. SW
Olympia, WA 98512-6218
(360) 754-7711
●
Spokane Community College
North 1810 Greene St.
Spokane, WA 99207-5399
(509) 533-7000
●
Wenatchee Campus
1300 Fifth St.
Wenatchee, WA 98801
(509) 682-6800
Omak
Campus
116 W Apple Ave.
Omak, WA 98841
(509) 422-7800
●
Whatcom Community College
237 W. Kellogg Rd.
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-2170
●
Yakima Valley Community College
16th Ave. & Nob Hill Blvd.
Yakima, WA 98907-2520
(509) 574-4600
Outlook*
In Washington, this occupation is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Employment is projected to increase 46 percent by 2008. It is estimated that there will be 419 openings annually in this occupation. Currently about 5,575 Medical Assistants work in Washington.
Professional Associations
●
American Association of Medical Assistants
20 North Wacker Dr., #1575
Chicago, IL 60606-2903
(312) 899-1500
http://www.aama-ntl.org
●
Washington State Medical Association
2033 Sixth Ave., Suite 1100
Seattle, WA 98121-0000
(206) 441-9762
http://www.wsma.org
* Note: General career descriptions are updated as necessary, however salary expectations and projected outlooks have not been updated since 2000. Go to Workforce Explorer Washington and search your career for the most up-to-date salary and job growth expectations. Washington Healthcare Careers and Workforce College are also good resources for job information.
For additional information, contact your school's career counselor or
WWAHEC
2033 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 310
Seattle, WA 98121
Ph: 206.441.7137
Fax: 206.441.7158
Page updated 9/15/04