Programs, Job Descriptions, Earnings & Growth Projections

Medical assistants are a valuable part of any healthcare team. They are called upon to perform numerous tasks, delegated to them by nurses or physicians, that free up other healthcare personnel to spend more time with patients. Medical assistants can work in the front office, where they dealing with scheduling, payments and billing, or they might work directly with patient care in the back office. Most medical assisting programs teach students how to handle both. This guide focuses on what students can learn from the medical assisting programs in Alaska, as well as what they can expect from a job in the state upon graduation.

Alaska Medical Assisting Schools Spotlight

Alaska has only two schools with accredited programs in medical assisting. Both programs are offered by major state universities and culminate in certificate or associate degree programs.

University of Alaska-Fairbanks Community and Technical College

School Type:

Public University

Accreditation:

CAAHEP

School highlights:

As the flagship campus for the University of Alaska System, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks is a major university with almost two hundred degrees and certificates available to its students.

Programs offered:

The school offers two programs for prospective medical assistants: the certificate program, which takes about 30-42 credits to complete, and the associate of applied science degree, which takes about 60 credits.

University of Alaska-Fairbanks Community and Technical College

University of Alaska-Anchorage

School Type:

Public University
Accreditation:

CAAHEP

School highlights:

The University of Alaska-Anchorage is the largest university in the University of Alaska System. In addition to medical assisting, there are hundreds of other programs available to students.

Programs offered:

The associate of applied science degree in medical assisting consists of about 60 credits. Full-time and part-time curriculums are available.

University of Alaska-Anchorage

Certification & Training Requirements for Alaska Medical Assistants

1 How are medical assistants defined in Alaska?

In Alaska, medical assistants are defined as "unlicensed assistive personnel that perform office and clinical functions." Their work must be delegated by a nurse or physician, with special conditions put on what duties medical assistants can perform. Delegation of tasks can occur only if the following conditions are met:

• The delegated duties must be within the scope of the practice of the person delegating them.
• The patient must be assessed to ensure tasks can be safely delegated.
• The patient's medical condition must be stable and predictable.
• The medical assistant has been trained to handle the delegated task, and that training has been documented.
• The medical assistant is deemed competent to handle the delegated task.
• Performing the duty does not require professional medical judgment or complex medical skills.
• Instructions are clearly written for the medical assistant concerning the task, predicted outcomes and reporting procedures.

2 Is certification required?

The delegated duties must be within the scope of the practice of the person delegating them.

3 Is certification available?

Certification is not required to work as a medical assistant in Alaska; however, many employers either demand or prefer that their applicants hold active certification.

4 Is certification available?

Many employers prefer to hire certified medical assistants. The following organizations offer medical assisting certification that is acceptable to employers in Alaska.

• American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• National Certification Career Association (NCCA)

5 Is formal education and training required?

Those who choose to pursue certification must complete a formal training or education program. This program must be accredited. Recertification is required every five years. Those who will be giving injectable medication under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional must complete a training course in administration of medication, as required by the Nursing Board.

6 Are there tasks outside the scope of medical assistants in Alaska?

Alaska is very clear about what can be delegated to medical assistants, as well as what cannot be. The following tasks cannot be delegated to medical assistants

• Assessment of the patient's medical condition
• Formulating a plan of medical care
• Counseling the patient or the patient's family
• Transmitting verbal prescription orders
• Intravenous therapy, including blood or blood products
• Anything concerning procedural sedation
• Assessing sterile wound or ulcer care
• Home dialysis therapy
• Oral tracheal suction
• Medication management for unstable medication conditions
• Placement or administration of nasogastric tubes and fluids
• Assessment and management of newly-placed gastrostomy tubes
• Administration of some injectable medications.

Salaries for Medical Assistants in Alaska

Medical assistants in Alaska can expect to make more than the national average. How much more? Check out the table below.

	Annual Wage 25 th percentile	Annual Wage Median	Annual Wage 75 th percentile	Hourly Wage Median
Alaska	$33,850	$38,980	$45,160	$18.74
National	$25,500	$29,960	$36,070	$14.41

Source: BLS, 2014

Alaska City and Metropolitan Area Salaries

How much a medical assistant makes can vary widely depending on where they work. The chart below shows what medical assistants can expect to make in different geographical areas of Alaska.

Area	Annual Wage 25th percentile	Annual Wage Median	Annual Wage 75th percentile	Hourly Wage Median
Anchorage, AK	$33,200	$37,650	$44,000	$18.58
Fairbanks, AK	$35,840	$40,390	$44,690	$19.32
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area	$35,040	$42,470	$47,170	$19.80
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area	$35,340	$41,810	$47,610	$20.28

Source: BLS, 2014

Alaska Medical Assisting Employments Trends

The anticipated need for medical assistants in Alaska is below the national estimate, but it's still very high. More details are listed below.

Medical Assistant Estimated Employment Growth 2012-2022

	Average Annual Openings	Current Employment	Projected Employment 2022	Jobs Added	Growth Rate
Alaska	60	1,130	1,420	290	25.7%
National	26,990	560,800	723,700	162,900	29%

*Source: Projections Central, 2012-2022

Alaska Medical Assistant Resources

Alaska Medical Assistant Society

The Alaska Medical Assistant Society exists to promote education and career advancement of medical assistants in Alaska.

Alaska Statutes: Nurse Delegation

This Alaska statute explains when and how a nurse may delegate certain duties to a medical assistant.

Alaska Statutes: Administration of Injectable Medication

This Alaska statute pertains directly to when and how a certified medical assistant may administer injectable medication.