Medical assistant students have choices when it comes to education. You can pursue a degree or get a diploma, each has its pros and cons. There’s no wrong way to become a medical assistant, but the path you choose should reflect your personal interests and career aspirations. Starting strong helps you cross the finish line faster.
What Is the Difference Between a Medical Assistant Diploma and a Degree?
Most medical assistants have a formal, post-secondary education. As healthcare becomes more complex, opportunities for on-the-job training are fading. Fewer medical assistants have only a high school diploma. The majority earn either a vocational school diploma or an associate degree.
The key differences are:
Outcome Focus
Diploma programs are job-focused, teaching the knowledge and skills required to perform basic medical assistant duties. The goal is to get students out of the classroom and into the field faster.
Degree programs have a broader focus, helping students develop more comprehensive skills that provide a solid career foundation.
Program Length
Diploma programs are offered by vocational schools and technical colleges. Full-time students graduate in less than a year.
Associate degree programs take 2 years to complete.
If you have the time, getting an associate degree is a noble ambition. If you want to further your education but can’t devote years to training, a diploma program is an excellent option.
Curriculum
Degree programs offer a more comprehensive and in-depth curriculum compared to a diploma program. Both provide practical training, but degree programs include advanced topics that go beyond the scope of a diploma program, such as:
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Medical law and ethics
- Billing and coding
- Office management and communication
- Healthcare research and technology
Diploma programs cover the same core material but less in-depth, often combining topics, such as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology, into a single course.
What Can Someone Do with a Degree That They Can’t Do with a Diploma?
Diploma and degree programs each have advantages. But because degree holders have more training, they can do more and may subsequently have more career flexibility.
Examples of what you can do with a degree that you can’t do with a diploma include:
Clinical Procedures
While both diploma and degree holders can perform basic clinical tasks, having a degree allows you a greater role in advanced clinical or laboratory procedures. Many diploma programs, for example, exclude phlebotomy and EKG training. With a diploma, you’ll:
- Room patients
- Take vital signs
- Obtain health histories
- Administer medications
- Perform basic lab tests
- Assist with examinations
- Sterilize instruments
- Stock shelves
- Maintain equipment
With a degree, you can perform those tasks plus:
- Urgent care triage
- Advanced diagnostic testing, including EKGs, Holter monitoring and expanded urinalyses
- Assisting with surgical procedures from set-up to post-operative care
- Patient education on topics from lab results to self-care
Administrative Tasks
With a degree, you’ll be better prepared to handle complex administrative responsibilities in medical offices. Degree programs offer more training in billing, coding, and management principles.
Diploma programs cover these topics but only briefly, touching only on concepts that impact a medical assistant’s basic responsibilities.
Medical assistants with diplomas:
- Answer phones
- Schedule appointments
- Greet patients
- Update health records
- File paperwork
- Sort the mail
- Transcribe doctor’s notes
- Transmit prescription refills
With a degree, you may assume more complicated responsibilities, such as:
- Verifying insurance details
- Handling correspondence
- Scheduling complex procedures
- Managing inventory and ordering supplies
- Filing insurance claims
- Processing referrals and insurance pre-authorizations
Employment Settings
Medical assistants can work in any setting that offers healthcare, but regulations and training limitations may have an impact on the places you can work based on your credentials.
Patients in hospitals are sicker, so having a degree may qualify you for more roles in acute care settings. Diploma-level skills are a good fit for doctor’s offices and clinics.
Specialized Roles
A degree may qualify you for specialized roles within medical practices or healthcare facilities. You’ll have the skills necessary to work as a:
- Hospital unit clerk
- Admissions assistant
- Chiropractic MA
- Laboratory assistants
- EKG technician
Medical assistants with a diploma are more likely to work as generalists while gathering the experience they need to advance.
Career Advancement
Moving up the career ladder is easier with a degree. With more overarching knowledge of the medical field, you may be considered for positions with greater responsibility.
Medical assistants with diplomas typically have to work longer to prove themselves before getting similar opportunities.
Continuing Education
If you decide to switch careers within the healthcare field, having a degree can make it easier to transition into related roles. Credits are more likely to transfer into other programs, such as nursing, laboratory technology or healthcare administration.
Diploma credits are rarely transferable because courses don’t meet the stricter requirements of most universities. You might be given portfolio credit for your education and experience, but you’ll generally have to start a degree program from scratch.
What Are the Benefits of a Formal Education for an Entry-Level Medical Assistant?
Although there are no diploma or degree requirements for becoming a medical assistant in most states, the many benefits of a formal training program are too good to ignore.
Examples include:
Comprehensive Education
Geared toward beginners, formal education programs offer all-inclusive training, covering a wide range of clinical and administrative topics. Having a foundation of knowledge to build on helps entry-level medical assistants get up to speed faster and make the most of on-the-job training.
A Standardized Curriculum
All formal education programs follow a standardized curriculum designed to meet industry standards and best practices. This ensures that all students receive the consistent training employers expect. As an entry-level medical assistant, you can be confident in your ability to fulfill your job description.
Hands-On Training
Medical assisting programs emphasize hands-on training in controlled environments, giving students with no healthcare experience an opportunity to make mistakes under supervision. Schools are equipped with the same type of technology as medical offices, so nothing will seem new or unusual upon starting an entry-level position.
Instructors will walk you through clinical procedures, such as taking vital signs, administering injections, and performing basic laboratory tests, allowing you to practice, ask questions and refine your techniques before working directly with patients.
Networking Opportunities
Networking opportunities play a crucial role in the professional development of entry-level medical assistants. Building a strong network of contacts within the healthcare industry can open doors to career opportunities.
Completing a formal education program is the first and arguably the best way to connect with industry professionals through instructors, classmates, and off-campus clinical experiences. Many open positions are not posted publicly, so knowing someone within an organization can give you an inside track to the best jobs.
Networks also provide a sense of camaraderie, providing a support system of like-minded peers who understand the triumphs and tribulations of working in the healthcare field. As you build your career, this professional community can provide encouragement and advice.
A Competitive Edge
Most employers prefer or require medical assistants to have completed a diploma or a degree program, prioritizing candidates with a formal education from an accredited institution.
In a competitive job market, earning a diploma or degree can make you a more valuable job applicant. It shines on a resume and helps you compete with experienced candidates.
Certification Preparation
Certification isn’t required to work as a medical assistant, but it demonstrates your knowledge, competency, and dedication to the field. Many employers prefer or require medical assistants to be certified, making it an important step in your professional development.
Formal education programs help by covering the content on certification exams. And many schools offer additional exam-specific training, including review sessions, practice tests, test-taking strategies, and study materials. These resources help soon-to-be graduates become familiar with exam formats, content, and questions.
General certification also qualifies medical assistants for specialty certifications in fields of interest, from pediatrics and cardiology to geriatrics and mental health.
Career Advancement
Formal education programs do more than prepare you for entry-level positions, they set the stage for career advancement. A diploma or degree positions entry-level medical assistants to take advantage of growth opportunities. With the right credentials, you might qualify for supervisory roles, specialized positions or even leadership responsibilities.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are qualities that enable you to interact effectively with others. Some are innate but most can be learned. For entry-level medical assistants, soft skills are as critical as practical skills as they seek to build working relationships with patients, peers, and healthcare professionals.
Formal education programs integrate soft skills training through a combination of classroom instruction, role-playing, patient interaction exercises and real-world clinical experiences. Students learn about compassion, professionalism, and integrity.
Collaborative group projects provide opportunities for students to work together, improving teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Students learn to respect diverse opinions and contribute to achieving common goals.
Regular interactions with peers and instructors are also a confidence builder, enhancing your emotional intelligence in social and professional settings. By graduation day, you will have developed the skills necessary for building strong interpersonal relationships in the workplace. For an entry-level medical assistant, that can mean the difference between success and frustration.
Final Thoughts
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings for medical assistants are set to grow 16 percent in the coming decade. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to capitalize on an expanding healthcare system. But with reward comes responsibility, including doing the work necessary to be prepared when opportunity knocks. Let a diploma or degree make your dreams a reality.
Meridian College offers a hands–on Medical Assistant training program taught by experienced school faculty who know how to prepare you for the daily challenges you’ll face on the job. From assisting doctors with patients to important administrative tasks, our experienced teachers will train you for a rewarding new career.
Contact Meridian College today to learn more about becoming a medical assistant.