How to Become a Registered Medical Assistant

Registered medical assistants are professionals who perform both administrative and clinical patient care duties in a healthcare facility.

They prepare patients for treatment and exams and assist physicians during patient visits by obtaining medical information such as vital signs, weight, and height, collecting blood samples, and conducting basic lab tests. They also commonly perform electrocardiograms and prepare and administer medications or injections as directed by the physician.

Registered medical assistants' administrative duties include scheduling appointments, answering phones, and updating electronic health records with patient medical histories, vital statistics, and test results. They also manage medical billing needs, fill out insurance forms, handle patient correspondence, perform bookkeeping and accounting tasks, and use administrative medical software.

Registered medical assistants need an associate's degree or a medical assistant certification. Degree in hand, they're then qualified for other certifications. These include Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), National Certified Medical Assistant NCMA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA).

On average, registered medical assistants earn about $15.42 an hour or $26,000 to $41,000 a year.