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Stepful’s Medical Assistant program is designed for those looking to take the next step in their careers by becoming a certified medical assistant in North Carolina.
Our online program prepares you to earn your Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification from the National Healthcareer Association and perform all the duties of medical assistants, including both those in the front office as well as working with patients.
Our North Carolina Medical Assistant classes take 4 months to complete and cover all essential topics such as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, healthcare systems, phlebotomy, EKG, patient care coordination, and much more.
The Stepful staff is here to support you at every stage of the journey. From career preparedness to help finding an in-person externship*, we're here to help you launch your career in healthcare.
*Please note, students must be available M-F, 9-5 p.m. to be eligible for externship support.
A high school diploma or GED is required to become a medical assistant. For those needing alternative options, online high school programs are available and can often be completed in a few months.
Medical assistant training covers essential topics such as medical terminology, phlebotomy, patient care, and healthcare ethics. There are several options available:
While an associate degree may seem appealing, no state or federal regulations require medical assistants to earn a degree before working with patients. Most employers prioritize certification over a degree.
The best training programs, including Stepful, help students secure externship opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
During an externship, students work under an experienced medical assistant in a clinical setting, such as a hospital or clinic. Externships typically require around 80 hours of work, with students completing shifts ranging from 8 to 12 hours.
Externships not only build practical skills but also offer networking opportunities with potential employers. Organizations in North Carolina that may offer externship opportunities include:
While certification is not legally required, most healthcare employers prefer certified medical assistants. Common certification options include:
Stepful prepares their students for the CCMA, which is focused more on the clinical component. To take a certification exam, students must first complete an accredited training program. Upon approval, they will receive an authorization email to schedule their exam.
Certification exams are closed-book and taken at a testing center or with an online proctor. Each exam consists of around 150 questions, with similar difficulty levels, costs, and passing rates.
When students are ready to look for a job, they often consider using websites like Monster, Glassdoor, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. Medical assistants in North Carolina can also browse the North Carolina State Website or search through job postings at a specific healthcare location.
In addition, our helpful staff at Stepful can assist you in your job search from enrollment to employment with interview preparation and resume services available for students.
North Carolina law does not require medical assistants to complete structured training or earn a certification.
While it isn't required, 87% of organizations prefer to hire certified assistants. Earning your certification will make you a much more competitive job applicant.
Medical assistants in North Carolina are not required to register or obtain a license before working in healthcare.
The North Carolina Medical Board had created specific guidelines regarding what a medical assistant should and should not do.
Whether or not they have a certification, medical assistants in North Carolina are not permitted to:
The North Carolina Board of Nursing states that unlicensed assistive personnel such as medical assistants can take on tasks that cannot cause serious harm to the patient, and that are part of a patient’s routine care.
These tasks include:
Administrative Responsibilities
As of May 2023, there are currently about 22,950 medical assisting jobs in the state or 4.7 per 1,000 residents. North Carolina cities with the highest number of medical assistants include Charlotte, Concord, and Gastonia.
Medical assistants in North Carolina earn a decent salary. The median salary for medical assistants in North Carolina is $40,190 per year or $19.32 per hour. Medical assistants in North Carolina State have an average pay of $18.12 per hour or $42,196 per year.
Job opportunities for medical assistants are expected to increase by 15% from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is higher than the expected growth for other healthcare jobs (12%) and is much higher than the average job growth across the country (4%).
North Carolina Association of Medical Assistants was created in 1963 to support medical assistants in their pursuit of career success and responsibilities. They host seminars, conventions, continuing education courses, and support groups for medical assistants. They also help aspiring medical assistants earn their certification and stay up to date on current rules of practice.
The National Healthcareer Association, American Medical Technologists, and American Association of Medical Assistants are all national organizations that can help medical assistants earn a certification, network with other medical assistants, pursue continuing education, and search for job openings.
