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Certified Clinical Medical Assistants in Kern County currently earn an average of $48,300 annually, and salaries continue to climb!
Certified Clinical Medical Assistants support medical practices by being able to competently perform both clinical AND administrative tasks. In other words, CCMAs are involved in both the administration side and the patient care side.
On the clinical side, medical assisting can include things like recording vital signs, administering medications, and interacting with patients. All of this is done under the supervision of a licensed physician.
On the administrative side, Certified Clinical Medical Assistants assist patients in filling out forms, do insurance billing, and schedule patients. Computer literacy is preferred, and is taught during the CCMA certification program.
There are currently 6 medical assistant programs in Bakersfield. The length of time for program completion ranges anywhere from 9 months to 24 months.
Most programs don't require prerequisite courses to be completed. All of the programs listed here are accredited by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).
Upon completion of any of the programs listed, students will be eligible to take the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam. The AAMA exam is made up of 200 multiple choice questions administered in four 40-minute segments.
When it comes to pay for Certified Clinical Medical Assistants, the future has never been brighter! Across the US, the average annual salary for CCMAs is $35,850. However, pay can vary widely depending on which state, county, and city you live in. In California in 2021, the average pay for medical assistants is $45,567.
Bakersfield Adult School has a 20 week Medical Assistant program. After completion, graduates will be eligible to sit for the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants(CCBMA) exam.
The medical assisting program is by far the most affordable: the total cost of the program is $900. The trade-off, however, is that there is a waiting list. The other medical assisting programs in Bakersfield don't have a waiting list.
Program application requirements:
Bakersfield Adult School also offers programs in Vocational Nursing, Nursing Assistant, and Healthcare Support.
The cost of attending the Medical Assisting program is $800. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
San Joaquin Valley College's Bakersfield campus has a 9 month Clinical Medical Assisting program. Their program includes a clinical externship.
Students learn how to:
Their medical assisting program is licensed by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education(BPPE) and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training(ACCET).
Admissions requirements for SJVC's medical assisting program:
Other healthcare programs at San Joaquin Valley College's Bakersfield campus:
High Desert Medical College has a 34 week Medical Assisting Diploma program. They also have a 42 week evening program. Total "clock hours" for this program is 910, with 600 hours of classroom instruction, 150 hours of homework, and 160 clinical extern hours.
Their medical assisting program is licensed by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education(BPPE) and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training(ACCET).
Admissions requirements for HDMC's medical assisting program are high school diploma or GED, at least 18 years of age, and ability to understand, speak, read, and speak the English language.
Other healthcare programs at High Desert Medical College-Bakersfield:
Unitek College's Bakersfield campus has a 9 month Clinical Medical Assisting program. The enrollment process for Unitek College can be completed entirely online. Unitek now offers hybrid-online programs. Their MA program includes labs, online & classroom work, and a 4 week externship.
Upon completion of Unitek's MA program, students will be eligible to sit for the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) exam.
Courses taken during the MA program:
Their medical assisting program is licensed by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education(BPPE) and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training(ACCET).
Other healthcare programs at Unitek College's Bakersfield campus:
The medical assisting program at UEI is broken down into 8 modules. The first 7 modules are 80 hours each, and the 8th module is the 250 hour externship. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) exam.
The Medical Assistant program at North-West College takes 9 months to complete, and is comprised of eight course modules followed by a comprehensive 144-hour clinical externship.
This hands-on externship provides students with a unique opportunity to transfer their classroom-acquired knowledge to real-world scenarios within a health care practice environment.
The program is designed to equip students with the essential skills needed to proficiently handle patient examinations, operate diagnostic equipment, execute laboratory tasks, and manage various aspects of a medical office's operations, including proficient computer data entry.
North-West College's Bakersfield campus also offers ADN & BSN nursing programs.
The roles of CNAs and Medical Assistants may seem the same, but they're VERY different jobs. First, medical assistant training is significantly longer and more in-depth. As an example: In California, a CNA certification course is approximately 160 "clock hours". That's 100 hours of theory/classroom work, and 60 hours of hands-on clinical training.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistants, on the other hand, have completed anywhere from 900 to 1,400 "clock hours". Accredited medical assistant programs teach students about pharmacology, anatomy & physiology, and more. CNA certification training is much more focused on physically moving patients, performing bathing duties, and more.
None of the 6 medical assisting schools in Bakersfield require any prerequisite coursework. In other words, you don't have to have taken any classes. Also, no experience working in the healthcare field is required.
Regardless of which medical assisting program you choose, some courses are considered "core courses", which are taught at ALL medical assisting schools:
A medical assistant is employed in a variety of healthcare facilities and will work by performing a wide range of clinical and administrative duties. The MA certificate programs can help a student to gain a rapid education and pass the medical assistant certification exam.
The certificate program can be completed in as little as twelve months and is typically available through vocational schools and community colleges. There are a total of 6 medical assistant programs in Kern County. The CAAHEP accredits programs for this healthcare position.
The medical assistant certification program will combine supervised lab experiences with classroom instruction. The lab work portion of the program will teach a student how to take a patient’s vital signs, assist with medical procedures and will educate them on the patient documentation and medical coding.
A student that enrolls in this type of program will need to have a GED or high school diploma. A program applicant should be eligible for college level English and math classes. None of the Bakersfield programs have any course prerequisites.
Some certificate programs will offer more clinical practice and lab time than others, which will generally include an even focus on medical duties and administrative skills. These programs will offer a variation in their class offerings.
Some of the core classes will usually include topics such as medical terminology, physiology and anatomy, basic clinical lab procedures, medical laws, medical ethics, medical coding and billing and computer applications.
These certificate programs will provide the basic training that’s necessary in order to qualify for an entry level position, however, some certified MAs will choose to broaden their scope of knowledge by enrolling in different healthcare related training programs that also offer voluntary certification.
These specialty certification training programs are available in medical coding, radiology and phlebotomy. Not only can having additional certifications make you stand out from the competition, but it can also help you to land positions that feature a significantly higher annual salary.
While not every state will require the medical assistant to obtain certification, graduates of a certificate program will be eligible to take the CMA exam, which is administered by the AAMA. After a student passes the certification exam, they will be required to renew their certification every five years.
Certification renewal will involve taking continuing education classes which feature such courses as general medical assisting, medical terminology, record keeping and medical billing.
An MA will have the option of obtaining the sixty hours of continuing education credits or re-taking the certification exam, at the time of certification renewal. These short training classes are typically paid for by the medical assistant’s current employer. Additional options for obtaining continuing education credits will also include attending seminars or workshops.