Medical assisting is one of the few career options in the lucrative healthcare industry that doesn’t demand a certification. And while a certification is preferable, it doesn’t take anywhere near as long to get as most of the other professions in the industry.
This is the reason many students are reading up on how long does it take to become a medical assistant as well as the career prospects for medical assistants so that they can take an informed decision.
The Easier Route
There’s a very easy and rewarding way of becoming a medical assistant. It allows you to become a medical assistant even if you only have a high school degree.
However, you need to find an employer who is willing to hire you and provide on-the-job training. But if you do manage to find one, you would be able to become a medical assistant without having to spend a huge chunk of money on formal education, and instead of making a fairly good amount of money while you get the on-the-job training.
Going for Formal Education
As we said, the on-the-job training way of becoming a medical assistant, despite being easy, isn’t really a very common option. Not many employers would hire you without a certain level of formal education, which is where this second option comes in.
You can either go for a diploma program or an associate’s degree. While the former allows you to become a medical assistant faster, the latter promises better career prospects.
Experts recommend that if you can spend a little more time becoming a medical assistant, going for an associate’s degree may turn out to be a much better option in the long term.
Now, coming to the timeframe for becoming a medical assistant, an associate’s degree may take anywhere between 18 to 24 months. However, if you decide to go with a diploma program, you may be able to become a medical assistant in well under 12 months.
