Clinical Medical Assistant Careers
Clinical medical assistants are a vital part of any healthcare facility. They provide services that keep things moving along as efficiently as possible, from welcoming patients to beginning their appointments to checking them out at the end of their visit. Doctors, nurses, and administrative staff all rely on them for a smoothly running clinic.
These professionals are also patient-facing, so informally they also offer support to patients on their hardest days, find ways to ensure people shake off their nerves before and during a visit, and help visitors feel safe and cared for throughout their healthcare journey, whether it be simply regular checkups or specialized visits for medical conditions.
If this sounds like work you’d be passionate about, clinical medical assisting may be right for you. Here, we’ll talk about what clinical medical assistants do, where they work, how much money they make, where their careers can go, and more.
What Clinical Medical Assistants Do
When you think about going to the doctor’s office, you likely think you’re seeing receptionists or nurses when you start your appointment—but you may actually be seeing a clinical medical assistant!
A clinical medical assistant (CMA) provides many of the frontline services at a healthcare facility. They may perform desk duties, but their primary focus is on helping doctors conduct efficient and productive visits via hands-on work that doesn’t involve diagnosing illnesses. Some duties may include:
- Taking vital signs
- Asking about your health and updating medical records accordingly
- Performing injections
- Collecting urine, blood, and sputum samples and analyzing them
- Assisting the doctor as requested
Some job titles for CMAs include medical assistant or medical technician. However, you may find other career names for those with this training.
Clinical Medical Assistant vs. Medical Assistant
In many offices, medical assistants specialize in either clinical or administrative duties. Medical assistants (MAs) may take patient histories and vital signs. Depending on the state, they might give vaccines or medications. Meanwhile, clinical medical assistants (CMAs) may do all of that, plus perform lab tests, draw blood, provide dietary advice (as directed by the physician), and more.
Additionally, MAs earns less on average than CMAs. The AAMA reports that the average non-clinical medical assistant salary is $39,053.95 ($20.84 per hour). That’s about $2,000 less than for CMAs.
Learn more about the difference between a clinical medical assistant and a medical assistant
Where Clinical Medical Assistants Work
If you name a medical facility, from general practitioner’s offices to emergency rooms to nursing homes, clinical medical assistants could work there. This includes specialists’ offices, as some CMAs choose to specialize in cardiology, pediatrics, asthma care, or other areas. (Some specialties may require additional training, so talk to individuals in the field to better understand what qualifications you may need in what settings.)
Many CMAs also travel. You could choose to work for an agency that moves you to different offices depending on needs—or you could find an employer who sends you anywhere in the country! Travel positions could be only for a few days at a time to several months.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that, as of 2023, physicians’ offices employ the most CMAs. The other most common employers are hospitals, outpatient care centers, other types of doctors’ offices, and employment services (such as temp agencies).
How Much Do Clinical Medical Assistants Earn?
The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) found that CMAs earn an average of $40,658.22 per year ($21.54 per hour) as of 2023. However, pay is greatly affected by location, years of service, and type of workplace.
The association also found that type of workplace matters, but not as much as one might think. Those working in fields that aren’t primary care earn about $2,000 more on average than those working in primary care.
In addition to pay, 96% of full-time CMAs reported having benefits through work, such as medical insurance and paid vacation.
Job Demand for Clinical Medical Assistants
Trained medical assistants are in high demand. According to the BLS, the field is expected to grow by 14% between 2022 and 2032. Projected job growth is especially strong in Mississippi, where the field is growing by an estimated 22%. Meanwhile, Louisiana is expecting a growth of 6% in that same time period for this job.
What Is the Career Path for CMAs?
While CMA is technically an “entry-level” job, many people choose to make clinical medical assisting their lifelong career. However, others use it as the first step in a medical career. One example of a career progression for CMAs could be:
- Clinical Medical Assistant
- Clinical and Administrative Medical Assistant (CAMA)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Registered Nurse (RN)
Blue Cliff College offers a variety of programs to help you get started or progress in the healthcare field, as we offer CMA, CAMA, and LPN or PN programs!
Of course, these jobs aren’t the only way to work your way up the healthcare ladder—but it can be a great start.
Is a Clinical Medical Assisting Career Right for Me? Pros and Cons
If you’re a caring, patient person who works well with a team and has a strong stomach, you may have the traits needed to be a CMA. However, as with any other career, there are pros and cons to consider:
Clinical Medical Assisting Career Pros
- Short training program – only 9 to 15 months at Blue Cliff College
- A lot of variety in daily tasks
- Holidays and possibly weekends off (if in a physician’s office)
- Lets you dip your toes in the healthcare industry before committing to a nursing program, if desired
- Possibly flexible schedules depending on your workplace
- Skills transfer to different workplaces – for instance, if you start in a hospital but realize it’s not for you, you can use those same skills in a physician’s office
- Could travel for work locally or nationally through an agency
- Making a difference
Clinical Medical Assisting Career Cons
- Potentially long days, especially in hospitals (where you may also have overnight shifts)
- Lots of supervision
- Frequent contact with germs
- Possibly sad situations, especially if specializing in cancer, cardiac, or similar services
Blue Cliff College Career Development Services
We don’t just train you to be CMAs at Blue Cliff College—we help you prepare for the workforce. Our campuses offer career guidance in areas like resume writing, interviewing, searching for jobs, and more.
However, keep in mind that Blue Cliff College is not a career placement service, and we cannot guarantee job placement for students upon graduation.
Kick Off Your CMA Career at Blue Cliff College
Here at Blue Cliff College, you could earn your clinical medical assisting diploma in 9 months (full-time) or 15 months (part-time)—so you can start work quickly! Our CMA program covers everything you’d need to know for your certification exam with a combination of lectures, hands-on work, and an externship.
Get Started Today!
