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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 Vermont.
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 Vermont 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.
Before they can enroll in a program or apply for a job, aspiring medical assistants must graduate from high school or earn a GED. There’re online GED programs that make it easier for students to complete the first step for starting their healthcare career.
Medical assisting training courses cover topics such as infection control, patient safety, phlebotomy, and human anatomy. Most medical assistant training courses have some kind of hands-on training like externships.
Prospective students can choose between several different training programs.
Online programs are the cheapest and shortest of the three options. At Stepful, you can enroll in our 4-month medical assistant program, designed to prepare you for the most recognized medical assistant certification. We provide comprehensive support from enrollment through job placement.
Associate degree programs are the most expensive and take about two years to complete. Some associate degree programs can cost up to $10,000. Very few employers require medical assistants to have a degree.
Medical assisting externships usually happen after classroom learning is complete. During an externship, students work with an experienced medical assistant and are allowed to practice hands-on skills like phlebotomy and applying bandages.
Not only do externships give students a chance to practice their skills, but it allows them to get feedback from an expert while making connections with other healthcare providers.
Organizations in Vermont that may offer externships include the University of Vermont, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and Copley Hospital.
Instructors at Stepful make finding an externship simple and easy. We guide our students through the entire process and help them secure an externship with one of our 8,000 affiliated clinics.*
*Please note, students must be available M-F, 9-5 p.m. to be eligible for externship support.
Several different certifications are accepted by healthcare organizations in Vermont. These include the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), and Certified Medical Assistant (CMA). Each of these tests has similar eligibility criteria, passing rates, and testing fees.
Here at Stepful, we prepare students to take the Clinical Certified Medical Assistant Exam (CCMA). This exam, offered by the National Healthcareer Association, is nationally recognized and has more clinical focus than the CMA or RMA. The CCMA exam has a 160-minute time limit and contains 200 questions.
Websites like Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter are great places to look for work as a medical assistant in Vermont. Alternatively, many job candidates choose to search directly on healthcare organizations' websites.
The Vermont JobLink is another useful resource for medical assistants looking for work in Vermont.
At Stepful, we offer students in Vermont personalized career support, including resume assistance, mock interviews, and job coaching to help them secure employment in their area. From enrollment to employment, we're with you every step of the way!
Medical assistants are not required to have a certification to work in Vermont. However, you may still want to consider earning a certification. Healthcare organizations are much more likely to hire certified medical assistants, according to the NHA.
Employers in Vermont recognize the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) from the AAMA, Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the NHA, and Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from the AMT.
Medical assistants in Vermont do not need to obtain a license or register with the state.
Vermont does not provide medical assistants with a specific list of tasks that can or cannot be delegated to them. It is up to the licensed medical provider or registered nurse to decide which responsibilities are appropriate for the medical assistants in their organization.
When delegating a task, licensed medical providers must ensure that the task is safe and appropriate.
Some tasks that should not be done by a medical assistant include
Medical assistants in Vermont can do any task if the patient is stable, there is a licensed medical provider nearby, they have been taught how to perform the task safely, and the outcome of the action is predictable.
A medical assistant in Vermont can perform the following tasks:
Regardless of where they work, most medical assistants share similar responsibilities. Medical assistants are usually responsible for both clinical and administrative tasks.
Medical assistants in Vermont enjoy great job security and have a generally positive job outlook.
As of May 2023, there were 1,210 medical assisting jobs in Vermont, or 4.036 jobs per 1,000 residents. Vermont cities with the highest number of medical assistants include Burlington and South Burlington.
Nationally, the job outlook for medical assistants is much higher than the outlook for other jobs across the nation (4%). Jobs posted for medical assistants and certified medical assistants in the United States are expected to increase by 15% between 2023 and 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Medical assistants in Vermont earn a decent salary, with an average pay of $22.81 per hour, or $53,109 per year. The median salary for medical assistants in Vermont is $40,270 per year or $19.36 per hour.
Some organizations that support medical assistants in Vermont include the American Medical Technologists, the National Healthcareer Association, and the American Association of Medical Assistants.
These organizations host annual conferences, distribute newsletters, offer continuing education classes, encourage collaboration and networking, and more.
