Medical Assisting in Hawaii
Hawaii has a high concentration of medical assistant jobs. According to the official figure from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 5.15 medical assistants for every 1,000 workers throughout the state.
As the population ages the number of employment opportunities in the healthcare and medical assisting field is likely to increase too, so this is a good occupation to get into.
There are a few schools in Hawaii that offer medical assistant degrees, certificates or diploma programs, and it is important to make sure that you receive your training on an accredited course in case you want to get your certification in the future.
Medical assistants in Hawaii are paid a decent hourly wage of $16.29 on average, or an annual salary of $33,890. This is above the national average pay for medical assistants.
Although there is no state requirement to be certified, administrative and clinical medical assistants with this credential are likely to earn the best wages and get the best jobs. The state doesn’t have strict definitions of the duties medical assistants can perform and licensed professionals must use their discretion to delegate tasks.
The Hawaii State Society of Medical Assistants (HI AAMA) is the AAMA affiliated professional organization for the state and although there are no local chapters, the state society is active.
Hawaii Medical Assistant Schools and Programs
Med-Assist School of Hawaii
Med-Assist School of Hawaii runs a diploma program in medical assisting at its Honolulu campus and offers students the flexibility and convenience of day or evening classes. Students will learn the skills required to carry out both the clinical and adminstrative duties of a medical assistant role. The program is made up of 625 hours of classroom instruction and 100 hours internship experience, plus an additional 200 hours on an externship placement in a real doctor’s office or clinic.
Diploma
- Length: 9 months
- Cost: $12,125
- Job Placement Rate: 83%
Ultimate Medical Academy Online
Ultimate Medical Academy Online offers an online medical assistant diploma program. All training and classes are online, but students will have to complete an externship at a physical location to get hands on experience of working in the medical assisting field. On successful completion of their studies, students will have the opportunity to take the nationally recognised RMA or CMA examinations. Passing one of these exams to earn the credential of Registered Medical Assistant or Certified Medical Assistant is not compulsory to work in an entry level position, but can make applicants more appealing to employers.
Diploma
- Length: 60 weeks
- Cost: $15,50
- Job Placement Rate: 74%
