Registered Medical Assistant (RMA): Salary, Skills, and More

Whether “registered” or “certified,” medical assistants perform administrative tasks and direct patient care. They play an important role in keeping medical facilities running smoothly so that doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals can deliver the best care possible. As a medical assistant, you’d embark on a steady career helping people suffering from illness or injury.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs within the health care industry have promising growth of 1.9 million openings yearly from 2023 to 2033 [1]. Medical assistants can expect similar growth, with a projected growth rate of 15 percent and around 119,800 job openings each year for this specific position [2]. Discover how to start a fulfilling career as a registered medical assistant. 

What is a registered medical assistant?

A registered medical assistant (RMA) is responsible for administrative tasks and basic patient care, such as conducting basic tests, sterilizing instruments, and measuring vital signs. They are assistants to physicians and nurses, doing much of the back-end work to ensure the facility and patient care run smoothly.

Medical assistants can perform tasks such as instructing patients about their prescriptions or dietary restrictions, removing stitches, drawing blood, or helping patients go to the bathroom. 

A registered medical assistant has earned one of two medical assistant credentials. Aspiring medical assistants can either take the American Medical Technologist (AMT) certification exam, or register with the American Registry of Medical Assistants (ARMA) after graduating from an accredited medical assistant institute.

Registered medical assistant vs. certified medical assistant

The main difference between becoming an AMT registered medical assistant and an American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) certified medical assistant is the title.

Both cover the same concepts.

The AMT credential for registration is more similar to the AAMA’s certification than to the ARMA registered credential because the ARMA does not require an exam. Therefore, only the AMT-registered and AAMA-certified medical assistants can participate in regulatory oversight. 

What does a registered medical assistant do?

As a registered medical assistant, your typical tasks and responsibilities might include:

• Measure vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration rate, and temperature.

• Record patient history and personal information 

• Assist physicians with patient examinations

• Provide patients with prescriptions or injections as directed by doctors

• Prepare blood samples for laboratory tests and administer tests

Where does a registered medical assistant work? 

Medical assistants who receive credentials from AMT or ARMA can work in a variety of medical settings, including the following:

• Doctor’s offices: As a medical assistant working in a physician’s office or clinic, you may treat the same patients over the years. This environment can provide more of a sense of community if that is something you value in a job.

• Hospitals: These hospital jobs may be more demanding because hospitals operate 24/7, and providers rarely see the same patient twice, but hospitals offer competitive salaries and benefits.

• Outpatient clinics: Outpatient care centers are like a cross between a clinic and a hospital, in that they provide surgical services and laboratory tests but not overnight stays—so they tend to be less stressful than working in a hospital.

• Medical research centers: Clinical trials may need medical assistants to help collect samples, prepare them for diagnosis, and input participant information. In this environment, you’ll gain first-hand knowledge of research and development.

• Diagnostic laboratories: In a diagnostic lab, tests (such as X-rays, blood tests, MRIs, and CT scans) may use blood, urine, or other body tissue or fluid to determine whether disease or illness presents itself. Medical assistants help with clinical and administrative tasks.

Registered medical assistants can also work in nursing homes and specialized clinics with pediatricians, obstetricians-gynecologists, chiropractors, and podiatrists. They may also work in insurance companies, prisons, the military, and universities.

Registered medical assistant salary

Registered medical assistants earn a median annual salary of $42,000 [2]. The advantages of this career include job steadiness and benefits such as health care insurance. This salary may vary depending on your location, type of health care facility, and experience level. Specialized medical assistants, such as ophthalmologists or podiatrists, may earn more money.

How to become a registered medical assistant

To become a registered medical assistant, you must gain relevant job skills and either an AMT or ARMA certification. Discover what else you need to know to start this career.

1. Complete a medical assistant program.

Completing an accredited medical assistant training program is the first step to gaining a foundation to become a registered medical assistant. You’ll need at least a high school diploma or GED before applying. 

These programs are typically offered online or in person at community colleges, vocational and technical schools, and, in some cases, universities. They tend to take a year or two to complete, covering a range of topics from first aid to anatomy and physiology.

2. Gain work experience.

Most medical assistant programs require completing either an internship or externship before receiving your diploma. Your program should provide you with coursework and lab experience, but you’ll still want to be able to shadow an experienced medical assistant. While you might receive training as a new medical assistant, you’ll be better equipped if you’ve drawn patients’ blood or taken vitals under supervision.

When applying to become a registered medical assistant, you’ll want to ensure you possess clinical and administrative skills. As you gain more and more experience, it is wise to highlight and quantify your skills on your resume.

3. Get certified.

After obtaining your medical assistant diploma, you’ll need to take (and pass) an exam to become a registered medical assistant. The two exams you can take include:

• American Medical Technologist (AMT) certification exam: Students qualify for this exam by submitting records showing completion of a medical assistant program. The AMT exam has over 200 questions covering knowledge of clinical, administrative, and general medical assisting.

• American Registry of Medical Assistants (ARMA): Medical assistants may gain registered status through the ARMA system. You must have graduated from an accredited medical assistant program, and often, you’ll need a letter of recommendation or proof of employment from an employer.

4. Grow in your career.

Once you’ve been a medical assistant for a few years, you might look to the horizon. Maybe you want to switch clinics or start at a hospital instead. Maybe you want to take on extra responsibility as a specialized medical assistant. Discover some options for career growth:

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA): As a CCMA, you can perform all of the same duties that an RMA can and clinical duties such as administering injections. You are eligible to take this exam after you’ve worked for one year as a medical assistant.

• National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA): As an NCMA, you can perform the same RMA duties but with more emphasis on clinical tasks. You can earn this certification directly after completing an RMA training program.

• Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA): As a COA, you can assist eye doctors with medical and administrative duties. You may need specialized training under an ophthalmologist before taking this exam.

• Podiatric Medical Assistant Certification (PMAC): You may perform duties in a podiatrist’s clinic with this certification. Like ophthalmology, you’ll need work experience in a podiatry office to earn this certification.

Become a registered medical assistant with Coursera.

Registered medical assistants work in various environments, providing patient care and assisting medical professionals.

If you want to become a registered medical assistant, explore courses and Professional Certificates to help you begin your career.  For example, consider the Healthcare Organization Operations Specialization from Rutgers University, designed to teach you about different types of health care organizations and how they work, so you can prepare to apply, interview, and work for a registered medical assistant role in the future.