How to become a certified medical assistant without going to school

In most states, you do not need to hold certification to become a medical assistant, and in some cases, you can become certified without completing a program if you have sufficient work experience. However, it may be difficult to initially find a position without certification.

What is a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted Expert

Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE

A certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant assists doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in patient care. They typically work in clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities and perform multiple tasks. These may include taking vitals, recording medical histories, preparing patients for exams, administering medications, assisting with procedures, and performing basic lab tests. Certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants are crucial in providing quality healthcare by ensuring smooth operations in medical facilities.

What general advice would you give to a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?

Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE

Clinical Associate Professor

First I tell them they are more prepared for practice than they think they are. They need to give themselves a measure of patience and grace that they will not know a lot of things when they begin. I stress that they need to get adept at asking lot of questions, so they understand the “why’s: of what they are doing vs. just being task oriented. This develops their clinical reasoning and decision making skills. All of our graduates enter into Nurse Residency programs at their various facilities. These programs are designed to take graduates from a myriad of nursing schools and help them solidify the core components of nursing school. These residency programs and unit orientation programs ensure a new graduate is ready to take care of the patients on their specific units.

ScoreCertified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,382

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.5

Growth Rate 9%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.93%

Asian 6.76%

Black or African American 8.62%

Hispanic or Latino 14.46%

Unknown 5.02%

White 64.22%

Gender

female 89.48%

male 10.52%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress Level

8.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?

Pros

High demand for healthcare workers
Opportunities for career advancement
Variety of work settings and specialties
Opportunity to learn new skills and stay up-to-date with medical advancements
Potential to develop strong relationships with patients over time

Cons

Physically and emotionally demanding work
Exposure to illnesses and diseases
Repetitive tasks and routines
High level of responsibility and accountability for patient care
Challenging work environment due to dealing with difficult patients or family members

Newest jobs for Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant

Explore certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant education requirements

Most common certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant degrees

Associate

25.8 %

Certificate

24.2 %

High School Diploma

20.9 %

Start to develop specific certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	29.14%
Vital Signs	9.92%
CPR	6.61%
Customer Service	5.64%
Rehabilitation	3.49%

Complete relevant certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant in most of states. 25 states require certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse Aide
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Nursing Assistant (Certified)
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Certified Nurse Assistant
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurse Aide
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurses Aide

Gain additional certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant certifications

Certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medication Aide Certification (MACE).

More About Certifications

Research certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant duties and responsibilities

Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
Deliver care with patience, compassion, and caring for the elder1y patients.
Document vital information in electronic medical records (EMR) of assign patients.
Monitor patients in restraints for safety, circulation, hydration, nutrition and elimination.

Prepare your certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant resume.

Apply for certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary

The average Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant salary in the United States is $36,382 per year or $17 per hour. Certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salaries range between $27,000 and $47,000 per year.

Average Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant Salary

$36,382 Yearly

$17.49 hourly

How do certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants rate their job?

3.5/5

Based On 2 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023

Pros

Very fulfilling and rewarding

Cons

Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

The ability to show care, love & compassion to those whom have none or family can't give time to show any. It's like being the missing piece to a puzzle we all if lucky enough get to live long enough to experience. It's making someones day by just remembering to watch their hands and face before/ after meals. To give proper attention to teeth, to let dressing am or pm still br a choice they make. I know im a good human with an oversized caring heart and although sometimes its exhausting working extra hrs or having to do all or extra work on short staffed days it's worth it. And slow and steady wins the day. They are people whom have gone through & experienced more then we will ever get too.

Cons

All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at 👍way to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022

Cons

Nothing

What is a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?

What are the pros and cons of being a Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant?

Newest jobs for Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant in Ashburn, VA

Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant career paths

Key steps to become a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant

Explore certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant education requirements

Most common certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant degrees

Start to develop specific certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant skills

Complete relevant certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Gain additional certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant certifications

Research certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant duties and responsibilities

Prepare your certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant Resume templates

Apply for certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant jobs

How Did You Land Your First Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant Job

Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary

How do certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants rate their job?

Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant reviews

Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant FAQs

How to become a certified medical assistant without going to school

Search for certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant jobs

Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant jobs by state