Table of Contents
- 1 How to Become a Medical Assistant in Wyoming
- 2 Step 1. Enroll in a Medical Assistant Training Program in Wyoming
- 3 Step 2. Make Yourself into a Competitive Medical Assistant
- 4 Step 3. Pursue a Medical Assistant Job in Wyoming
- 5 Step 4. Maintain Your Professional Medical Assistant Qualifications
- 6 The Best Medical Assistant Schools in Wyoming
- 7 Medical Assistant Salaries in Wyoming
How to Become a Medical Assistant in Wyoming
Qualification is the key to excellence.
But also the key to acceptance as well.
Since in Wyoming medical assistants’ issues are not regulated by law, it is left upon the employers to set their own rules in regards to hiring them.
And it’s certain, they will always choose the most qualified candidates.
Strong qualifications for medical assistants include:
- Prior experience working in the medical assistant field
- Graduation from college with a medical assistant degree
- Completion of a medical assistant training program
- Completion of a medical assistant certification program
To become a competitive applicant in this field you should consider the following steps:
- Enroll in a Medical Assistant Training Program in Wyoming
- Make Yourself into a Competitive Medical Assistant
- Pursue a Medical Assistant Job in Wyoming
- Maintain Your Professional Medical Assistant Qualifications
Step 1. Enroll in a Medical Assistant Training Program in Wyoming
According to state law, medical assistants in Wyoming do not need to obtain a license, certification.
But they need an education for sure.
A formal medical assisting program in the field is necessary to prepare them for correct patient care and better medical skills at hand.
Through this program, they are also able to qualify for other additional credentials in the future.
The program choice must initially be accredited from two accrediting organizations in the state.
These organizations are:
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
- Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
A typical medical assistant academic program will include subjects such as:
- 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 office medications
- Basic EKG (electrocardiography)
- Basic X-ray techniques and spirometry
- Introduction to phlebotomy
- Medical assisting laboratory procedures
- Medical assisting clinical procedures
- Medical law and ethics
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Medical office accounting
- Microbiology of diseases and health
- CPR and emergency medical response
- Ophthalmic assisting procedures
- Medical assisting practicum or internship
Step 2. Make Yourself into a Competitive Medical Assistant
You may have got an education in medical assisting.
But the more you have, the more you want.
Those who are in love with seeking knowledge know what I am talking about.
However, becoming a competitive medical assistant demands this effort.
In particular, earning a medical assistant certification credential is the easiest way to become one.
In Wyoming, several organizations make this mission possible.
The most common credentials you can get through them are:
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
- Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
- Medical Assistant (NCMA)
CMA credential is sponsored through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
In order to receive this credential, you need to graduate from a medical assistant program first.
The program needs to be accredited from either ABHES or CAAHEP.
Soon enough, comes the exam.
The final step to receive the credential.
The exam contains 200 multiple-choice questions.
While it takes 160 minutes to complete.
The exam covers three main areas of study:
- Medical assistant general subjects
- Medical assistant clinical subjects
- Medical assistant administrative subjects
RMA Credential
The RMA credential is made possible by the American Medical Technologists (AMT).
This credential can be achieved in several ways.
Graduating from a medical assisting academic program in one of them.
The program needs to be accredited by the US Department of Education.
Or else by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation.
After graduation, the candidate is ready to sit for the RMA exam, after which he or she is given the credential.
NRCMA Credential
The NRCMA credential in the third in this list.
It is sponsored by the National Association of Health Professionals (NAHP).
You can get this credential by one condition solely.
That condition is graduating from a medical assistant academic program.
The program must be accredited from one of the two accrediting organizations in Wyoming.
Its either ABHES or CHHAP.
In the meantime, you need to pass the NRCMA exam.
To take it, you need to register through an application form.
CCMA Credential
The CCMA credential is made possible through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
To be equipped with this credential it is a must to pass the CCMA exam.
Obviously, credentials are tied to each other sometimes.
NCMA Credential
NCMA credential is sponsored by the National Center for Competency Testing.
You can qualify for this credential in many ways.
However, the end of every way is the NCMA exam, which is the final step to the credential.
Step 3. Pursue a Medical Assistant Job in Wyoming
Working in medical assisting environments in Wyoming is possible whenever medical and health services can be offered.
This work is mostly extended in cities.
But it can also go further in unincorporated areas of the state.
To make your life easier, let’s take a look at the statistics.
The most recent statistics reveal the following employment numbers in Wyoming by region:
- 160 medical assistants working Cheyenne
- 110 medical assistants working in Casper
- 100 medical assistants working in Wyoming’s southeastern non-metropolitan areas
- 90 medical assistants working in Wyoming’s northeasters non-metropolitan areas
- 80 medical assistants working in Wyoming’s southwestern non-metropolitan areas
- 60 medical assistants working in Wyoming’s northwestern non-metropolitan areas
To find work, however, one needs to meet the requirements of the employers.
To know which are these, we need to look at the job advertisements.
Two examples of the most recent classified ads seeking medical assistants throughout Wyoming listed the following qualifications:
- Memorial Hospital of Carbon County recently posted a medical assistant job description that specified the following qualifications:
- Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Must have at least one year of experience working in a health field or health provider office
- Completion of an accredited medical assistant training program preferred
- Cheyenne Children’s Clinic was recently looking for a medical assistant with one of the following minimum qualifications:
- Completion of a medical assistant academic program accredited by one of the following:
- US Department of Education
- CAAHEP
- ABHES
- Completion of a medical assistant academic program accredited by one of the following:
- Completion of a formal medical training program as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Holding a CMA credential was also a preferred qualification
Step 4. Maintain Your Professional Medical Assistant Qualifications
Medical assistant maintenance of qualifications in Wyoming is determined by the employers.
They set their own requirements in the form of continuing education and professional development.
Maintaining a particular credential, however, is a matter of meeting the requirements of the sponsoring agency of that credential.
Some of the most common credentials that must be maintained are:
- CMA – this credential is valid for 60 months, and there are two ways you can renew this:
- Retake the CMA Exam
- Earn 60 re-certification points according to these specifications:
- 10 points relating to administrative duties
- 10 points relating to clinical duties
- 10 points relating to general duties
- 30 points from AAMA-approved continuing education units RMA – you will need to maintain this credential by paying for an annual membership with the AMT and earning 30 Certification Continuing Program (CCP) points every three years.
- NRCMA – you can maintain this credential by holding a current CPR card and paying for an annual membership with the NAHP. You will also need to complete at least two A-class Continuing Education Units (CEUs) each year, except during your first year of holding this credential.
- CCMA – to keep this credential current you will need to complete at least 10 Continuing Education (CE) credits every two years.
- NCMA – to maintain this credential you will need to complete a series of annual Continuing Education (CE) that is approved by the NCCT.
In addition to maintaining medical assistant credentials, is education as well.
College courses related to the field, as well as a bachelor’s degree in medical sciences, is an option for maintenance credentials.
The Best Medical Assistant Schools in Wyoming
Here’s one medical assisting school in Wyoming to check for.
There you can find a medical assisting program to attend.
With this program, you will have the chance to apply for other additional credentials in the state.
So, this type of education is the basis of a medical assisting career in the state.
School Name Address CollegeAmerica-Cheyenne Cheyenne, WY
Medical Assistant Salaries in Wyoming
Here’s to the salary numbers in Wyoming in medical assisting.
They shift from a minimum to an average and a maximum.
Annual Salary Range:Location Avg. Annual Salary Cheyenne $32,413 Casper $33,285 Laramie $32,799 Gillette $31,611 Rock Springs $32,790 Sheridan $33,681 Green River $32,790 Evanston $33,062 Riverton $32,749 Cody $33,681 Regional Salary in Wyoming
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Casper, WY 160 $41,210 $19.81 $46,290 $35,140 Cheyenne, WY 190 $41,350 $19.88 $52,240 $30,320
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.