How to Become a Medical Assistant in Wyoming

Medical assistants serve as the trusted, reliable support professionals in physicians’ offices, clinics, urgent care centers, and more, thanks to their commitment to organization, efficiency, and the well-run office.

And in Wyoming, their value continues to increase as hospitals like Wyoming Medical Center in Casper continue to grow. In 2014, this health system completed a brand new state-of-the-art medical tower, and in 2018, it acquired Mountain View Regional Hospital to create a new East Campus. Today, it employs 1,300, includes 249 beds on two campuses, and boasts 13 specialty, primary, and immediate care clinics.

Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings
FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

With the right education and certification, you can join the ranks of Wyoming’s qualified medical assistants who are taking advantage of the state’s strong healthcare sector.

Here are the steps to take to make you a well-qualified medical assistant in Wyoming:

Complete an Accredited Medical Assistant Program in Wyoming
Earn a National Credential in Medical Assisting
Explore Your Career Options and Find a Job You’ll Love
Maintain Your Professional Qualifications

 


 

Step 1. Complete an Accredited Medical Assistant Program in Wyoming

There is no better preparation for a career in medical assisting than through a program that’s accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

Both the CAAHEP and the ABHES accredit diploma, certificate, and associate degree programs, all of which consist of a similar course of education and practical training in medical assisting. Courses in these programs focus on topics like:

  • Medical assistant administrative procedures
  • Medical office software applications
  • Medical terminology and communication with medical professionals
  • Medical office insurance billing and coding, including computer software programs
  • Medical assisting laboratory procedures
  • Medical assisting practicum or internship

But while certificate and diploma programs take, on average, 10-12 months to complete, an associate’s degree takes about 2 years because of the inclusion of a general education core – a set of courses covering subjects like mathematics, communications, the physical sciences, and more.

Despite this longer course of study, an associate’s degree is often the better choice for many medical assistants because top healthcare employers tend to prefer candidates with this degree, and many more offer higher wages for associate’s-prepared medical assistants.

And medical assistants who’ve completed an Associate of Science (AS) in Medical Assisting enjoy a quicker route to a bachelor’s degree because most or all of the courses easily transfer to a four-year degree in healthcare-related areas like healthcare administration, health informatics, public health, and nursing.

 


 

Step 2. Earn a National Credential in Medical Assisting

A national credential is an excellent way to display a commitment to your profession and get a leg up on the competition while you’re at it. You’ll also find that many employers prefer candidates who’ve earned one or more national credentials in medical assisting, so you can increase your odds of landing a new job or promotion if you’ve got one on your resume.

The completion of an accredited medical assisting program will earn you eligibility to take any of the national certification examinations available in medical assisting.

The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), sponsored by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), remains the most widely sought after credential in medical assisting. The Certified Medical Assistant Exam is a 200 question, multiple-choice exam that tests your knowledge in three, main areas:

  • Medical assistant general subjects
  • Medical assistant clinical subjects
  • Medical assistant administrative subjects

Other popular credentials in medical assisting include:

 


 

Step 3. Explore Your Career Options and Find a Job You’ll Love

Once you’ve earned the education and national certification that’ll make you a competitive candidate, you can begin your job search by checking out some of the newest opportunities available through Wyoming’s hospital systems, such as:

  • Memorial Hospital of Converse County, Douglas
  • Wyoming Medical Center, Casper
  • Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, Rock Springs
  • John’s Health, Jackson
  • Ivinson Memorial Hospital, Laramie
  • Evanston Regional Hospital, Evanston
  • Sheridan Memorial Hospital, Sheridan

 


FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

 

Step 4. Maintain Your Professional Medical Assistant Qualifications

You’ll must maintain your national credential(s) by completing specific continuing education requirements:

  • CMA – You will renew the CMA every 5 years by either retaking the CMA exam or earning at least 60 re-certification points according to these specifications:
  • CCMA – You will renew the CCMA by completing at least 10 Continuing Education (CE) credits every two years.

 

All salary and employment data accessed July 2020.

Back to Top