Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) enjoy an exciting, challenging career that is essential to patient care in medical offices and clinics.

Medical assisting is one of the nation's fastest growing careers through 2012, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This can be attributed to a predicted surge in the number of physicians' offices and outpatient care facilities. Technological advancements and the growing number of elderly Americans who need medical treatment are also factors for the increased demand for medical assistants.

Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) have a great amount of variety in their jobs and are cross-trained to perform many administrative and clinical duties. Of course, duties vary from office to office depending on location, size and specialty.

• About 6 out of 10 medical assistants work in offices of physicians.
• Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1- or 2-year programs in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges.
• Medical assistants is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 period.
• Job prospects should be best for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly those with certification.