Medical assistants play a crucial role in the current healthcare industry by offering help to physicians and other professionals while attending to patient needs.
As cross-disciplinary professionals, medical assistants work within a variety of healthcare settings, including ambulatory care facilities, medical offices, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and countless other medical locations.
Students interested in becoming medical assistants in high school should start preparing immediately by taking courses related to physiology and anatomy, which will provide the background for the industry.
If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant, keep reading to learn more!
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- 5 Medical Assistant Schools in Colorado
- Salary
- Schools by City
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Colorado require medical assistants to be certified?
- What is the typical process to become a Colorado medical assistant?
- What is a certified medical assistant?
- What are the primary responsibilities of a Colorado medical assistant?
- Will employers hire you as a medical assistant without being certified?
5 Medical Assistant Schools in Colorado
Schools with the best medical assistant programs in Colorado include:
Colorado Mesa University
Located in Grand Junction, the Colorado Mesa University medical assistant program focuses on real-world training, which helps students gain confidence and prepare for their careers.
This university offers two programs: a technical certificate, which takes one year to complete, and an associate of applied science, which is a two-year program.
The difference between the two is the associate’s program teaches the basics of medical administration and sciences, English, and mathematics.
Concorde Career College
Located in Aurora, Colorado, Concorde Career College offers a medical assistant training program that focuses on technical and social skill development.
The program curriculum is comprised of practical and theoretical components of medical assisting education to transform students into competent professionals.
The program takes approximately eight months to complete and is available in the daytime and nighttime formats, including an externship.
Pima Medical Institute
With three campuses offering medical assistance training programs, Pima Medical Institute delivers training that helps students learn the expertise and skills needed to become successful in the healthcare industry.
Two certificate training programs exist medical assistant certificate and medical administrative assistant certificate.
The medical assistant certificate is a 35-40 week program (depending on day or night attendance) while the medical administrative assistant certificate training is a 30-34 week program.
Pueblo Community College
With a conducive learning environment, the Pueblo Community College medical assisting training program boasts experienced faculty and a state-of-the-art facility that helps students achieve their academic and professional goals.
Like most other programs, Pueblo offers a 45-week certificate program and a four-semester associate degree program.
Red Rocks Community College
The goal of the medical assistant program at Red Rocks Community College is to develop students’ multi-tasking skills to perform various tasks within the healthcare industry.
This allows them to have a fruitful and diverse career while being able to effectively perform cross-functionally.
Red Rocks Community College offers a practical certificate, which is 37 credit hours, while the associate degree is 60 credit hours, including real-world experience.
Medical Assistant Schools in Colorado – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Colorado
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Colorado Mesa University | 1100 North Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501 |
| Concorde Career College | 111 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010 |
| Pima Medical Institute | 5725 Mark Dabling Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919 |
| Pueblo Community College | 900 W Orman Ave, Pueblo, CO 81004 |
| Red Rocks Community College | 13300 W 6th Ave Frontage Rd, Lakewood, CO 80228 |
Salary
The U.S. national average salary range for a patient care technician is $30,000 to $38,600.
Comparatively, Colorado has a similar pay range of $29,900 to $38,500.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Medical Assistants in Colorado
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Denver | $38,342 |
| Colorado Springs | $37,736 |
| Aurora | $38,317 |
| Bedrock | $34,217 |
| Fort Collins | $36,909 |
| Arvada | $38,342 |
| Pueblo | $35,162 |
| Westminster | $38,342 |
| Boulder | $38,839 |
| Thornton | $38,342 |
Regional Salary in Colorado
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | 810 | $47,530 | $22.85 | $58,220 | $39,140 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 2,180 | $43,110 | $20.73 | $52,720 | $36,390 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 5,790 | $48,190 | $23.17 | $58,360 | $39,290 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 1,000 | $46,950 | $22.57 | $56,290 | $37,600 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 400 | $43,460 | $20.89 | $50,230 | $36,630 |
| Greeley, CO | 350 | $44,660 | $21.47 | $48,430 | $37,800 |
| Pueblo, CO | 390 | $41,750 | $20.07 | $49,510 | $34,490 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Schools by City
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Colorado require medical assistants to be certified?
There is no legal requirement from the State of Colorado for medical assistants to be certified.
However, most healthcare facilities require certification to ensure you can hit the ground running and have the aptitude to learn more about the field.
What is the typical process to become a Colorado medical assistant?
Before considering becoming a medical assistant in Colorado, you must hold a four-year high school diploma or equivalent.
The next step is to complete a medical assistant training program, which can last one or two years, depending on your focus.
Once you have completed the training program, you must pass the CMA examination.
Topics covered in the exam include human behavior, human growth and development, death and dying stages, adaptive and therapeutic responses, data collection, nonverbal communication, regulations, medical law, and people skills and professionalism.
The examination is 200 multiple-choice questions, which candidates have three chances to pass.
The certification is valid for 60 months and can be re-issued through examination or completing 60 continuing education units.
The last step is to search for a job.
Many training programs require internships with local medical facilities and offer job placement assistance for graduates.
What is a certified medical assistant?
A certified medical assistant is a medical assistant who has been certified by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
After completion of the examination, certified medical assistants can utilize the CMA designation after their name to differentiate from those who are not certified.
What are the primary responsibilities of a Colorado medical assistant?
According to the American Association of Medical Assistants, a medical assistant’s job responsibilities entail maintaining medical records, preparing insurance forms, gathering lab testing samples, performing EKGs, removing stitches, changing wound dressings, administering medication, and preparing patients for examinations.
Other duties include taking medical histories, mediating between patients and doctors, coding medical services, and scheduling appointments.
Will employers hire you as a medical assistant without being certified?
Yes, new graduates are often hired as uncertified medical assistants.
However, most employers require certification after a specific amount of time following being hired.
Since candidates have three opportunities to pass the exam and training programs prepare them further, it is rare for a new hire to not get certified within the required amount of time.
