Discover the Best Online Medical Assistant Schools in Montana
Online medical assistant program(s) in Montana are great avenues for stable and prosperous careers. Discover the diverse options available and find the one best suited to help you accomplish your goals.
A healthcare career can help you make a difference in your community, and medical assistants who complete a quality online medical assistant program in Montana are on the front lines of healthcare in the state. They perform both clinical and administrative tasks and often serve as a connection between patients and other medical professionals. On any given day, a medical assistant (MA) supports doctors during patient examinations, schedules appointments, does intake interviews with patients, and works on medical billing and coding.
Fortunately, now is an exciting time to enroll in an online medical assistant program in Montana. This rewarding profession is currently experiencing a workforce crisis, both around the country where the growing older population is creating a demand for more healthcare providers, and in Montana, where almost one-third of residents will be over the age of 60 by 2030.
Choosing among the best online medical assistant program in Montana can help you become part of a workforce that exists as vital support staff to other medical professionals. Keep reading to discover the top MA programs in MT and find out the salary expectations and career outlook for MAs in the state. You’ll also learn how to become a medical assistant in Montana and understand what duties MAs can and cannot perform in the state.
Montana’s Top Online Medical Assistant Schools
Once you’ve decided that becoming a medical assistant is the right career path for you, it’s time to get the necessary training by finding the right online medical assistant program(s) in Montana for you. Start by investigating the best online medical assistant program(s) in MT detailed below to discover what to expect from a top program.
University of Montana
The Medical Assisting Associate’s Degree Program (AAS) at the University of Montana is one of the top entirely online medical assistant program(s) in Montana and prepares students to work for healthcare employers around the state, including Frenchtown Family Medical Wellness, Billings Clinic, Providence St. Patrick’s Hospital, and Missoula Community Medical Center. The two-year program includes coursework covering clinical procedures, medical ethics, medical terminology, and pharmaceutical products. It’s rounded off with general education courses such as human biology, college writing, psychology, and contemporary mathematics.
The school’s well-rounded AAS education also includes hands-on instruction. Experiential learning familiarizes students with the daily duties – including patient care practices, billing and coding, and scheduling – of medical assistants. Additionally, students participate in internships that often transition to full-time employment. The University of Montana medical assisting AAS program requires 63 credits and a minimum C grade point average.
Montana State University
Montana State University offers an online Clinical Medical Assistant Master certification course that takes four to six months. The program objectives focus on providing patient-centered care in a variety of clinical settings, and coursework covers medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, the role and function of EKG technicians, and electronic records in a medical practice. Students can also complete a volunteer externship at a local healthcare facility to reinforce classroom learning by performing tasks like collecting medical specimens and taking patient vital signs. A background check and drug screening, relevant immunizations, and personal health records are required to participate. Montana State University also provides video lessons and textbooks accessible on mobile devices as well as learner support accessible 24 hours a day.
Charter College
The blended Certificate in Medical Assistant program at Charter College takes 10 months and includes both on-campus and virtual learning. Campus learning takes place at the school’s Billings, Pryor, Hardin, Laurel, Crow Agency, and Huntley locations. Coursework covers medical billing and coding, health records management, medical terminology, healthcare compliance, and patient care standards. Students must also participate in an externship where they complete 180 hours of hands-on training in an HMO, clinic, doctor’s office, or ambulatory care facility.
The program develops students’ understanding of clinical procedures, legal and ethical requirements expected in the healthcare field, effective workplace communication, and administrative tasks. Graduates of this mostly online medical assistant program in MT can sit for certification examinations from the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Salary & Career Outlook for Montana’s Medical Assistants
The average annual salary for medical assistants in Montana is $43,230, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while the lowest earners make $35,070 and the highest $49,670. These figures are lower than national ones, which range from $33,500 to $56,480 annually. Keep in mind that how much you can make in any healthcare position depends on your location in the state. For example, MA professionals in Missoula make $44,570 on average with a salary range of $37,010 to $54,740 per year, making them the highest earners in the state. The lowest earners are in Great Falls, where the range is $36,850 to $44,800 and the average salary is $42,030. Those who have completed an online medical assistant program(s) in Montana likely can command higher salaries than those without certification.
Expect a significant amount of growth in the MA profession in the coming years. Projections Central reports a 14.1 percent increase in jobs between 2023 and 2033, amounting to 300 average annual openings. This is comparable to national projections of an 18.4 percent increase overall, equating to 104,400 new positions yearly.
| Area | 10th Percentile | Mean Annual Wage | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 33,500 | 43,350 | 56,480 |
| Montana | 35,070 | 43,230 | 49,670 |
| Billings, MT | 31,860 | 42,170 | 49,530 |
| Great Falls, MT | 36,850 | 42,030 | 44,800 |
| Missoula, MT | 37,010 | 44,570 | 54,740 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023
| Area | New Jobs | Job Growth Rate | Avg. Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 132,600 | 18.4% | 104,400 |
| Montana | 260 | 14.1% | 300 |
Source: Projections Central, 2020-2030
Answers to Your Questions
How do I know if a program is accredited?
Find out if schools you’re interested in are accredited by reviewing information on their website, contacting them directly, or checking the list provided by the accrediting agency, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accreditation is important because it ensures you’re getting a quality education and are ready for the demands of the job.
How in-demand are medical assistants in Montana?
Medical assistants are in demand in Montana, thanks to the growing need for medical services around the state. The BLS indicates a 14.1 percent increase in jobs for MAs in the state through 2033. This means an average of 300 jobs added to the workplace annually.
Montana’s job growth percentage is slightly less than the U.S. as a whole. National numbers include a projected increase in the medical assistant workforce by 18.4 percent through 2033, equating to 104,400 new jobs for MAs.
What is the cost of a medical assistant program in MT?
The cost of an online degree, like online medical assistant program(s) in MT, depends on the school you choose. Schools like Montana State University charge a flat fee of $4,200 for residents and $13,090 for non-residents for the entire program. Online tuition for the University of Montana, on the other hand, is $3,518 to $6,920 per year for state residents depending on the number of credits. Out-of-state online students at the University of Montana pay from $10,594 to $21,070.
How do I become a medical assistant in Montana?
Since medical assistants in Montana do not need to obtain a license, according to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, some medical facilities provide on-the-job training to those with a high school diploma. However, earning a credential through an online medical assistant program in MT makes you more attractive to employers. This means completing an online medical assistant program(s) in Montana and sitting for a certification exam. You may also be able to obtain work as a MA in Montana based on your MA credentials earned in another state.
What a Medical Assistant Can and Cannot Do
Medical assistants in Montana perform essential skills such as taking patient vital signs, providing medications, collecting and preparing samples for medical tests, and performing intake interviews to gather medical history. State law gives discretion to licensed healthcare professionals to determine what duties to require of their medical assistants. This means that physicians, podiatrists, or physician’s assistants, for example, decide what clinical or administrative tasks medical assistants in their offices perform. Since MA certification is one of the healthcare certificates you can get quickly, it makes sense to obtain one from a top online medical assistant program(s) in Montana to help you stand out from other applicants.
