Georgia Medical Assistant Schools & Salaries

Medical assistants are in high demand all across the nation, but that need is especially acute in Georgia, where employment of medical assistants is expected to grow by an impressive 49.9 percent over the next several years. With over two dozen accredited medical assisting programs in the state, it’s safe to say that Georgia is ready to train medical assistants to meet the demand. Learn what aspiring students can expect from not only their education, but from the career they will embark on when the education or training is complete.

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

The medical field is growing and the need for qualified medical professionals is growing along with it. Earning a degree or certificate in medical assisting is a good place to start in this rewarding industry. To help you find the best program for your needs, we did the research for you. We looked at class sizes, the cost of tuition, student services available and more to bring you our list of some of the Top Colleges for Medical Assisting in Georgia.

According to Georgia law, a medical assistant is defined as “an unlicensed person employed by the physician to whom he or she delegates certain medical tasks.” Of the several delegated tasks allowed of medical assistants, taking patient vital signs is the only one that does not require direct supervision. Medical assistants may only perform tasks for which they have been properly trained. These include:

Though medical assistants in Georgia are not required to have certification, many employers look favorably upon those who do, and several certifications are available. The following are all accepted in the state of Georgia:

Formal education or training is not required to become a medical assistant in Georgia; however, most employers prefer to hire someone who has completed a training program, earned a diploma or degree, or have become certified by a national certifying agency. Certifying agencies do require formal training.

Those who have chosen to become certified must complete certain requirements to keep their certification in good standing. This might include continuing education or a certain number of experience hours. Certification must typically be renewed every five years.

Physicians, registered nurses, advanced practice nurses and similar medical professionals can delegate certain tasks to medical assistants; however, they cannot delegate tasks for which the medical assistant has not received proper training.

Wonder how salaries stack up against the rest of the nation? The following chart compares the average salaries of Georgia medical assistants with the average of those throughout the nation.

Source: BLS, 2014

What a medical assistant makes can vary depending upon numerous factors, including geographic location. Here’s a sampling of what medical assistants may expect to see on their paychecks, depending upon the area in which they practice.

Source: BLS, 2014

Those who choose to work as medical assistants in Georgia should have no trouble landing a job; in fact, Projections Central expects a whopping 49.9 percent job growth for medical assistants between 2012 and 2022. The chart below offers more details about Georgia’s robust job growth.

Source: Projections Central, 2012-2022

There are currently around 25 accredited medical assisting schools or programs available to students in the state of Georgia. The following three spotlight schools provide students with a glimpse of what they might expect from any of the accredited programs in the state.