How to become a medical assistant in Pennsylvania

If you’re eager to work in the healthcare industry, there are few barriers to becoming a medical assistant. As a medical assistant, you will support physicians and medical teams in settings including hospitals, clinics and other healthcare operations. However, you don’t have to fulfill the rigorous educational requirements that you would have to meet if you wanted to become a doctor or nurse.

Pennsylvania has a large and busy healthcare infrastructure. According to Cause IQ, there are 106 community health and hospital systems within the state, including systems in major metro areas like Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Combined, the systems employ 127,860 people, with employment driven by major organizations like the Lancaster General Health Penn Medicine, Reading Health System and Highmark Health Group.

“There are 106 community health and hospital systems within the state of Pennsylvania, including systems in major metro areas like Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Harrisburg.“

Not only is Pennsylvania’s healthcare system large, but it ranks among one of the best in the nation. The Commonwealth Fund’s 2023 Scorecard on State Health System Performance utilizes 58 healthcare indicators to rank state healthcare systems. The 2023 scorecard ranked Pennsylvania’s system as being “better than average,” placing it ninth in the nation, overall.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that demand for medical assistants will grow by 13.9% through 2032. That growth is much faster than the average growth across all occupations, and it’s partially driven by the aging baby boomer generation. As baby boomers age and need more healthcare, demand for medical services will increase. Additional medical assistants will be relied on to perform administrative and clinical responsibilities in a variety of care settings. With the projected growth of this profession, now is an ideal time to consider becoming a medical assistant.

What Pennsylvania medical assistants do

Medical assistants are responsible for performing both administrative and clinical tasks to help keep healthcare operations running smoothly and to support the rest of the healthcare team, including doctors and nurses. An assistant’s exact responsibilities will partially depend on their place of employment, but it’s common for medical assistants to perform some or all of these tasks:

Since medical assistants aren’t licensed medical professionals, every state sets its own rules about the tasks that medical assistants can and can’t perform. Pennsylvania law is somewhat vague and doesn’t spell out specific permitted or prohibited responsibilities. However, the CEO of the American Association of Medical Assistants has interpreted Pennsylvania law as permitting physicians to delegate clinical administrative tasks to medical assistants working under their direct supervision. Those tasks include:

Medical assistants need a combination of hard and soft skills to be successful in this profession. Medical skills and knowledge, including the ability to take vital signs, draw blood, administer injections, perform CPR and collect urine samples are important. Assistants will also need to be able to communicate clearly with patients, schedule appointments, maintain patient records and work collaboratively with other team members.

Certain soft skills are also essential. Medical assistants need to have empathy when working with patients. They must be able to communicate clearly and build a patient’s trust. Assistants have to be able to receive instructions and then work independently. They must have excellent organization skills and multitasking talents, and they need to be attentive and detail-oriented.

Several common challenges can arise when working as a medical assistant. Medical facilities can be fast-paced, and it’s essential that assistants don’t make critical mistakes, especially when handling vaccinations or lab work. An assistant needs to be able to maintain a level head during busy times, and they may have to interact with patients who are emotional and potentially difficult to work with. Medical assistants also face the challenge of having to carefully follow Pennsylvania medical rules and regulations.

Educational requirements for Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania does not require medical assistants to pursue any specific education beyond having a high school diploma or its equivalent.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t invest in your education as a medical assistant. Completing a medical assistant program or a college degree in a field like health services management can help to strengthen your resume, potentially making you a more competitive job candidate. These types of education programs can also help to prepare you for the challenges that you will face on the job, equipping you with the skills and knowledge that you will need to succeed.

Several Pennsylvania schools offer programs specifically for medical assistants:

Gaining experience

Both internships and externships can help students to gain important real world experience before they begin their careers. An internship or externship allows a student to start putting their skills to use in a highly supervised setting. Students may also make important networking connections during internships and externships, and these opportunities might lead to job offers.

Medical assistant students should also explore other networking opportunities, including healthcare career fairs and conferences. Joining Pennsylvania organizations, such as the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, can help students to identify other networking opportunities and events.

It’s also important that medical assistants learn different types of technology that they’re likely to use on the job, including printers, computers and phones. Assistants will need to be familiar with how to use clinical equipment such as urinalysis machines and laboratory machines. They will also need to learn the computer software and databases that their employer uses.

Finding employment in Pennsylvania

New medical assistants can look for job opportunities in several locations. It can be helpful to identify local medical systems or offices where they would like to work, then follow those business’ social media profiles and websites to watch for job openings. Other internet job boards like Indeed, the Healthcare Source Job Board and the Career Vitals Job Board can help candidates to identify potential opportunities.

Networking at industry conferences and events can also help candidates to make connections with businesses that are hiring or may be hiring in the future. Job fairs and hiring events can be great opportunities to engage directly with business representatives and make a personal connection.

Candidates should make sure that their resume is as complete as possible before applying for jobs. Volunteering in healthcare settings can give them additional materials to include on their resume.

Medical assistant salary in Pennsylvania

The BLS reports that the median annual wage for medical assistants in Pennsylvania is $39,480 per year. That is slightly under the median national annual wage of $42,000.

Several factors can influence your salary as a medical assistant. As you gain more experience, you may qualify for a higher salary. Pursuing additional education, such as earning a bachelor’s degree, taking a program designed for medical assistants or becoming a certified medical assistant can also potentially increase your salary.

Your location can matter, too. If you’re located in a major metro area, such as Philadelphia, you’re likely to find job opportunities that pay more than rural parts of Pennsylvania, where the cost of living is lower. Here are median, entry-level and senior salaries for medical assistants in Pennsylvania and its metro areas:

Advancing as a medical assistant in PA

There is potential for growth as a medical assistant, too. As you gain experience within the profession, you might be promoted to an office administrative manager, billing and coding manager or practice management position. Taking the time to pursue additional education opportunities or to earn professional certifications may increase your chances of being promoted. Larger employers typically have more opportunities for career advancement, but those opportunities may be more competitive. To increase their chances of promotion, medical assistants can take additional schooling and courses and may consider pursuing additional certifications, like Billing and Coding Specialist or Medical Administrative Assistant certifications.

Legal and ethical considerations for PA medical assistants

Medical assistants need to ensure that they follow Pennsylvania state law regarding the types of responsibilities they may and may not perform. Staying updated on Pennsylvania law and policy changes is important, and can help assistants to ensure that they are following the state’s requirements.

Final thoughts

Becoming a medical assistant in Pennsylvania may only require you to have a high school diploma or equivalent, but completing a medical assistant program or earning a medical assistant certification can be helpful. By pursuing additional education or a certification, you’ll demonstrate your commitment to your career and your application might stand out from other candidates.

Pennsylvania’s large healthcare system has one of the highest grades in the country, and the increased healthcare needs of the aging population mean there’s growing need for medical assistants. Becoming a medical assistant can be highly rewarding and can be a great way to start off your healthcare career.

Published: February 2, 2024