Medical Assisting in Montana
Around one million people live in the state of Montana, with Billings being the largest city. Demand for healthcare services is growing, so the number of medical assisting jobs should increase over the next few years. Currently there are 1150 medical assistants employed in Montana. The employment level for this occupation in Montana is in the lower range nationwide.
There is no state law requiring medical assistants to be certified, but by completing your medical assistant training on an accredited degree or diploma program you will be eligible to take a certification exam. Having a CMA or RMA certification credential will help give you the best chance of getting a decent entry level job after graduation.
Wages for medical assistants in Montana are around the national average for this profession, at a rate of $15.02 per hour. This equates to earning an income of $31,240 a year.
The Montana Society of Medical Assistants is the state society of the national professional body AAMA (the American Association of Medical Assistants) and there are local AAMA chapters in the following areas:
- Dillon
- Flathead
- Gallatin
- Great Falls
- Yellowstone
Montana Medical Assistant Schools and Programs
Flathead Valley Community College
At its campus in Kalispell, near Glacier National Park, Flathead Valley Community College offers medical assisting training on an Associate of Applied Science degree program. Students will learn a broad range of skills required to perform the clerical, administrative and clinical tasks of a medical assistant role. For example, they will be taught insurance claims processing, specimen collection, routine patient care and diagnostic testing. Courses include basic medical coding, pharmacology, and phlebotomy. Students will be required to complete 180 hours of externship experience in local medical offices prior to graduation.
Degree
- Length: 2 years
- Cost: $1,183 per semester
- Job Placement Rate: Not available
