Frequently Asked Questions About Our Trade School in Tampa
Interested in training for a new career? There are many trade schools in Tampa to choose from—we’re glad you’re considering Altierus Career College! This page ...
Interested in training for a new career? There are many trade schools in Tampa to choose from—we’re glad you’re considering Altierus Career College! This page ...
Posted Monday, Apr 19, 2021 by Altierus
Looking to train for a new career that can make a difference in your community? Healthcare is the place to be. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare sector is projected to add 2.4 million new jobs over the 2019-2029 period—more than any other industry.[1]
If you’re researching healthcare career paths, you may have noticed that some of the job titles can sound similar. For example, one question we often hear is: what is the difference between a medical assistant and a physician assistant? These two occupations may seem like they would share many similarities based on their names, but the truth is that physician assistants and medical assistants are different.
A physician assistant (PA) is a medical practitioner who works under the supervision of a physician or other doctor. They can take medical histories, examine patients, order tests, prescribe some medications and provide advice or counseling to patients about how to manage health conditions.
Becoming a physician assistant takes several years. First, prospective PAs must hold a bachelor’s degree in another field and be able to demonstrate patient care experience—for example, experience as a registered nurse, volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT), or in another area. Next, PAs must complete a master’s-level training program and take and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) to become a Physician Assistant – Certified (PA-C). Usually, PA master’s degree programs require full-time study for at least two years.
Finally, PAs must obtain a license to practice in their state. This involves entering into an agreement with a supervising physician. PAs must also renew their licenses every few years, which involves completing continuing education and other requirements.
Medical assistants provide administrative and basic clinical support in physician’s offices, clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities and other healthcare settings. Their duties can include:
You can become a medical assistant in less than a year. At Altierus Career College, we offer a 10-month diploma program that teaches a foundation of health science knowledge plus customer service, office administration and clinical skills. Courses cover anatomy and the major body systems, medical terminology, essential medical coding skills and much more.
Our program is offered in a blended format, which means you take essential coursework online and spend one day on campus per week for lab classes. We also provide a laptop as part of your tuition costs to ensure you can access your online classes. This approach can make training for a new career more manageable.
States do not require medical assistants to be licensed. However, after completing your diploma program, you have the option to pursue industry certification. This offers employers another signal of how qualified you are to work as a medical assistant, because you have shown you’re capable of passing a nationwide exam in addition to completing training at Altierus. There are two major certification programs for medical assistants: The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam and the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification. We will help you prepare for one of these certification exams as part of your program.
As demand for medical care continues to rise, so will demand for medical assistants. The BLS projects 19% growth in medical assistant job openings over the 2019-2029 period—an addition of up to 139,200 new jobs nationwide.[2]
When it comes to salary, the median annual income for medical assistants in the U.S. was $34,800 as of May 2019. The lowest 10% of medical assistants earned less than $25,820, and the highest 10% of medical assistants earned more than $48,720.[3] The majority of medical assistants (57%) worked for physicians’ offices in 2019.[4]
We hope this article has helped clear up any confusion around the difference between physician assistants and medical assistants. If you’re interested in training to become a medical assistant, we’re here to help. Get more info about our medical assistant diploma program today!
Main Keyword: medical assistant vs. physician assistant
Title: Medical Assistant vs. Physician Assistant: What’s the Difference?
Description: Learn the difference between a medical assistant and a physician assistant in this article. We cover training, salary info and more!
[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
[2] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-6. Local job markets may vary.
[3] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-5. Local job markets may vary.
[4] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-3
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Our Houston campus hosted Roadtrip Nation on their screening tour of their documentary film, One Step Closer.
One Step Closer follows roadtrippers Melanie, Armand, and Becca across America as they listen to personal stories about how community college shaped the careers of working professionals. Roadtrippers engage in honest dialogue with all kinds of professionals and asked honest questions about their struggles as well as their successes.
We’re excited to continue the conversation about postsecondary education and how Altierus Career College is providing options in career technical education.
Altierus Career College nursing students completed their first round of clinical rotations at Genesis Healthcare. Before graduating with an Associate of Science degree in nursing, students must complete 600 hours of clinical rotations in addition to their program coursework.
During their clinical rotations, students practice what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real healthcare setting, taking vital signs, transferring patients from the bed to the wheelchair, re-positioning patients who can’t get out of bed, assisting in providing oxygenation, as well as administrating medications, inserting and maintaining IVs.
This year, we started some great conversations with key industry partners about closing the HVAC skills gap at all three of our local campus locations. Altierus Career College hosted local HVAC businesses to talk about how to create awareness for career technical education (CTE) and train the next generation of HVAC workers and possible apprenticeship programs so students can earn while they learn.
In addition to local HVAC servicers, we also met with Tim Elliott, CTE program specialist with Georgia’s Department of Education. Tim was excited to talk about to how partner with high schools to create awareness of CTE.
This past March, 12 medical assisting students from the Norcross Altierus campus in Atlanta competed against 4,000 other students from 84 different schools in the region. Betty Wilkins, a Medical Assisting instructor for Altierus, applied for and received a Campaign for Innovation grant from the ECMC Foundation. The grant paid for HOSA membership fees, student uniforms, travel, and other expenses.
Students participated in competitions which tested their healthcare knowledge and skills. Five of those students placed in their respective events.
