Medical Assistant Schools & Salaries in New Jersey

New Jersey has enacted strict rules and regulations about what medical assistants can and cannot do, and the state encourages students to obtain a formal education and certification before seeking a job. This is good news for New Jersey medical assistants, because those regulations protect them and the patients they serve. Whether students opt to work in the front office or back office, they can expect to learn the skills to handle both in an accredited medical assisting program.

Read on to learn more about medical assistant employment trends, salaries and certification requirements in New Jersey.

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Medical assisting is a growing field, and the number of programs available is also growing. Earning a degree in the field allows graduates the ability to work directly with patients, affecting their quality of care in a positive way and helping physicians. But it’s important to find a program that meets your professional needs—whether you plan to go on to further education or not. Our list of the Top Colleges for Medical Assisting in New Jersey is your first step. We researched which schools have the most program options and services as well as tuition costs and class sizes and ranked the results to compile this list.

1.How does New Jersey define medical assisting?

New Jersey has stringent policies governing medical assistants. The New Jersey Office of Career and Technical Education defines medical assistants as “individuals, under the supervision of physicians, to provide medical office administrative services and perform clinical duties including patient intake and care, routine diagnostic and recording procedures, pre-examination and examination assistance, and the administration of medications and first aid.”

2.Are medical assistants in New Jersey required to be certified?

Though some can begin their medical assisting career without certification, obtaining certification may be necessary in order to participate in some of the tasks that medical assistants would normally do. For instance, only a certified medical assistant can perform injections. Due to this, medical assistants in New Jersey would be well advised to seek certification.

3.Is New Jersey certification available?

Certification is available through national certifying agencies. New Jersey recognizes all certifications that are acceptable to the State Board of Medical Examiners, including, but not limited, to Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA).

4.Is formal medical assistant training required?

Since certification is strongly suggested, aspiring medical assistants should consider completing the requirements to obtain that certification. That means that formal education or training is required. This education can be earned through several schools in New Jersey.

5.Are there tasks outside the scope of medical assistants in New Jersey?

New Jersey medical assistants enjoy a wide range of clinical duties, many of which are prohibited in other states. For instance, medical assistants can independently position patients for x-rays, apply casts and assist with minor surgical procedures. Though medical assistants can provide injections, there are some limits placed on this. These include:

Medical assistants in New Jersey might be pleased to learn that median wages for the profession are higher than the national average. A breakdown on this information is included below.

Source: BLS, 2014

Where someone works in New Jersey has a strong impact on how much money they might make. When it comes to geographical location, the rule of thumb is that those who live in or near large metropolitan areas make more; however, that is not always the case. For a look at how geographical region affects medical assisting salaries in New Jersey, see the chart below.

Source: BLS, 2014

New Jersey expects to add about 600 new jobs each year for medical assistants from 2012 to 2022, a growth rate of over 21 percent. A breakdown on employment trends is included below.

*Source: Projections Central, 2012-2022

New Jersey is home to several accredited medical assisting schools offering various levels of education. For an idea of what’s available, take a look at this spotlight school.

School Type:

Public College

Accreditation:

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

School highlights:

After completing the medical assisting program, students are prepared to take the Certified Medical Assistant exam. A portion of the students’ general education credits may be transferred to a four-year institution if another degree is desired.

Programs offered:

The medical assisting associate degree consists of 63 credits. In addition to receiving an associate’s degree, students will also receive a certificate in medical assisting.

Warren County Community College

Licensure Requirements for Medical Assistants in New Jersey

This statute sets forth the requirements for those who want to work as teachers of medical assistant programs in New Jersey; this also has information on medical assistants.

New Jersey Society of Medical Assistants

The New Jersey Society of Medical Assistants is a professional organization and affiliate of the AAMA which aims to help promote the interests of New Jersey medical assistants and improve the care provided by medical assistants.

New Jersey Statute – Delegation of Injection Tasks to Medical Assistants

This is the administrative code regarding injection-related tasks that may be performed by certified medical assistants in New Jersey.