Medical Assistant Jobs and Programs in New Mexico – Schools, Salary, and License Info

How to Become a Medical Assistant in New Mexico

Medical Assistants in New Mexico are many.

However, they are not allowed to work on their own.

Their work must be supervised by physicians.

In this respect, all medical assisting tasks are included.

For this reason, they need to be trained and educated to perform their tasks in different clinical environments.

But the state does not mandate them to do so.

It is more a matter of being hired by employers who have these sets of requirements.

To become a medical assistant in New Mexico, you should consider completing the following steps:

• Complete an Accredited Program in Medical Assisting
• Pursue National Certification in Medical Assisting
• Learn More About Medical Assistant Jobs in New Mexico

Step 1. Complete an Accredited Program in Medical Assisting

Everything can be substituted, but education.

It is an essential means, to begin with, and make progress in the career.

The medical assisting program, through constant training and education, prepares the students a lot.

First, it prepares them to become competent entry-level medical assistants.

And secondly, it makes them able to perform their work in clinical settings.

Medical assisting programs will generally offer prospective students some type of qualification.

This qualification includes certificate, diploma or associate degree programs.

The certificates and diplomas last 10 to 15 months.

While associate degree programs last 24 months.

However, before choosing a program, one needs to make sure it is accredited.

Accreditation can be taken from two accrediting organizations in the state.

The first organization is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Whereas the second is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

Choosing an accredited program in New Mexico is necessary since most of the employers will search for students who have attended similar programs.

Both of the programs offer accrediting programs such as certificate, diploma and associate degree programs in the state.

In total, there are 3 medical assisting programs that receive accreditation from CAAHEP.

While 2 of them are accredited by ABHES.

They can be found in campus locations throughout New Mexico.

A distinguishing feature of all accredited programs is that they all culminate in a clinical externship.

Step 2. Pursue National Certification in Medical Assisting

After graduating from an accredited program in medical assisting, you will search for more qualifications in the field.

One of these qualifications is the national certification.

It can be secured through one of these certifying bodies:

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), National Healthcare Association
• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), American Association of Medical Assistants
• National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA), National Center for Competency Program
• Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential, American Medical Technologists

Apart from being a qualification in medical assistants, the national certification has entered the range of requirements to become one in the state.

The most recognized credentials so far in New Mexico are the CMA and RMA credentials.

They can be taken in two ways.

First by attending an accredited medical assisting program. And second, by taking and passing the certification exam.

Step 3. Learn More about Medical Assistant Jobs in New Mexico

To know more about jobs in medical assisting in New Mexico, you need proof.

According to the New Mexico Workforce Connection, 5,337 medical assistants were in work relations.

This statistic was taken in 2012.

Whereas in 2022, the job growth was expected to go to 6,343, which resulted in 1,006 jobs and an annual average increase of 1.7%.

The Workforce Connection also reports that there will be, on average, 203 medical assistant job openings each year between 2012 and 2022.

The New Mexico Workforce Connection reported the top employers of medical assistants in 2012 as:

• Ambulatory healthcare services: 3,131 medical assistant jobs
• Hospitals: 1,631 medical assistant jobs
• Educational services: 157 medical assistant jobs

You may, therefore, find a large number of job openings throughout New Mexico’s largest hospital systems, such as:

• San Juan Regional Medical Center, Farmington
• Vincent Hospital, Santa Fe
• Presbyterian Hospital, Albuquerque
• Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, Alamogordo
• Mountain View Regional Medical Center, Las Cruces
• University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque

The New Mexico Workforce Connection also reported the highest number of job openings for medical assistants, by county, as of September 2014:

• Bernalillo County, 15 medical assistant job openings
• Dona Ana County, 10 medical assistant job openings
• Santa Fe County, 10 medical assistant job openings
• Taos County, 10 medical assistant job openings
• Chaves County, 9 medical assistant job openings
• Otero County, 6 medical assistant job openings
• Sandoval County, 5 medical assistant job openings
• Lea County, 5 medical assistant job openings
• Los Alamos County, 5 medical assistant job openings

The Best Medical Assisting Schools in New Mexico

The number of medical assisting schools in New Mexico is relatively small.

Especially, when comparing it to other US states.

But that’s not an issue.

It’s always quality over quantity.

Aspiring students have similar chances of attending various types of degrees.

And graduate from the successfully.

Medical Assisting Salaries in New Mexico

Money is what we run after through life.

But we are not able to do so unless we’ve taken the means.

The same is in medical assisting in New Mexico.

You need to study and prepare well, in order to get a job with a satisfactory salary.

Though the salary in this state does not depend on education solely.

The place is also an important factor for salary.

But generally speaking, professional qualification is crucial.

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Medical Assisting by State