The federal government reports that jobs for certified medical assistants will be among the fastest-growing vocational groups beyond the end of the decade. South Dakota's medical trade schools offer training programs to prepare you for this challenging profession.

By Gabby Hyman
RWM Columnist
October 10, 2006

Medical assistants belong to one of the nation's fastest-growing vocational groups, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Growth in the profession is expected to rise through the year 2014, with the best opportunities going to graduates of certificate programs offered by medical vocational and medical trade schools. In two years or less, you can complete your training in a South Dakota medical technical school and join this promising vocation.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the increased demand for certified medical assistants throughout the nation is sparked by technical advancements and the rise in senior citizens requiring direct assistance. The rise is also a result of a greater demand by the profession for medical assistants to assume a greater range of vocational duties. Medical assistants will be needed to serve in hospitals, physicians' offices, and group facilities.

Vocational School Training in Patient and Administrative Roles
The BLS says that medical facilities will offer the best opportunities to medical assistants with vocational school training that embraces both patient-assisting and office clerical and reporting skills. Medical assisting programs in South Dakota offer a comprehensive Associate of Science in Medical Assisting (ASMA) degree that qualifies you to take the national certification exams.

It pays to contact vocational schools offering training to determine which offers the vocational skill sets you'll need to move forward. For example, a technical medical school in Sioux Falls offers vocational training focused on both the patient-care and billing coding skills that the BLS says will improve your chances on the hiring line.

Ask your prospective medical assisting trade school if its students master basic skills for employment in urgent care, assisted living, geriatrics, pediatrics, and home health care. Trade school programs in medical assisting can also include basic certifications in CPR as required by the American Heart Association.

South Dakota Medical Assistants Earn Competitive Wages
According to Salary.com, entry-level wages for medical assistants in South Dakota mirror most national averages for the profession. For example, some 80% of medical assistants taking their first jobs in the Sioux Falls metropolitan area earned from $22,827 to $31,571 in their initial year.

What you learn through a medical assistant technical school program not only qualifies you for entry into the health care professions, it can offer a solid foundation for an advanced medical career. Many medical assistants move on to nursing training or take additional vocational courses to work in clinic and hospital laboratories.

Sources
Salary.com
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.