California Clinical Medical Assistant Careers

Clinical medical assistants perform many of the “clinical” duties other medical assistants, such as administrative medical assistants, typically do not. They record vital signs, prepare patients for examinations, draw blood, take electrocardiograms, perform laboratory tests, assist physicians during examinations, change dressings, authorize drug refills, sterilize medical instruments, and more. Clinical medical assistants work in hospitals and clinics, as well as private and group practices.

Although clinical medical assistants work in all regions across the U.S., California is home to the nation’s largest population.

Clinical Medical Assistant Education and Training Programs

Because clinical medical assistants do everything from drawing blood to taking electrocardiograms, education and training is a must. Employer’s prefer applicants that have completed a formal training program at an accredited college or university. They also prefer candidates that have obtained certification through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

To become an NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), student must:

Complete no less than 140 classroom hours including lectures and labs
Complete a clinical externship
Pass the NHA CCMA national examination

A typical clinical medical assistant training program requires coursework in well over a dozen areas of study such as anatomy, medical terminology, EKGs, phlebotomy, vital signs, assisting with minor surgeries, x-rays, use and disposal of biohazards, care and safety of patients, medical & legal aspects of patient care, and more. Students may choose to complete a 1 to 2 year clinical medical assistant training program, which leads to either a certificate or diploma. Many 2-year programs lead to an associate’s degree.

Clinical medical assistant training programs are offered at 4-year colleges and universities, vocational schools, community colleges, technical colleges, and many others. The best programs are accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the American Association of Medical Assistants.

Clinical Medical Assistant Schools and Training Programs in California

California is home to literally dozens of programs for aspiring medical assistants. However, because clinical medical assisting is a specialty area, fewer schools offer this program. Fortunately, the schools that do offer programs are considered top-tier. The following California schools offer clinical medical assisting programs:

Cerro Coso Community College, Ridgecrest, CA
College of Marin, Kentfield, CA
Remington College-San Diego, San Diego, CA
Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
San Francisco State University-College of Extended Learning, San Francisco, CA
Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
West Los Angeles College, Culver City, CA
West Valley College, Saratoga, CA

Employment and Earnings Outlook for California Clinical Medical Assistants

As stated earlier, California is home to the country’s largest population of medical assistants. This group includes clinical medical assistants. The state is home to 82,280 medical assistants averaging $33,750 per year. In 2008, the state was home to 73,930 assistants averaging $31,240.

California Metro Areas with the Highest Employment Level for Medical Assistants:

#1: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, 22,670 medical assistants
#9: San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, 7,580
#10: Santa Ana-Anaheim, 7,470

California Metro Areas with the Highest Pay for Medical Assistants:

#1: Vallejo-Fairfield, $47,430 per year
#3: San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, $41,900
#4: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, $39,830 per year
#10: Santa Cruz-Watsonville, $38,500

The U.S. is home to 560,800 medical assistants averaging $29,370 per year, up from 475,950 assistants averaging $29,060 per year. The population of medical assistants is expected to increase by 29% for the 2012-2022 decade, adding a hefty 162,900 assistants to the field.