Becoming a medical assistant in Florida is an excellent opportunity to enter the healthcare industry on the ground floor and allows you to greatly customize your career.
You could choose to work in a laid-back location like a specialist’s or doctor’s office, or an exciting and fast-paced trauma center.
Regardless of where you hope to end up, starting your career as a medical assistant requires a certificate as the minimum education requirement in Florida.
By joining a training program, you will earn this certificate, which will prepare you for working in the environment of your choice post-graduation.
To learn more about the various medical assistant schools in Florida, keep reading!
Page Navigation
- 5 Medical Assistant Schools in Florida
- Salary
- Schools by City
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What should I consider when choosing a medical assistant school in Florida?
- Does becoming a Florida medical assistant require a lot of math?
- What are the basic responsibilities of a Florida medical assistant?
- What are the best traits a Florida medical assistant can have?
- What is the greatest challenge of being a medical assistant?
5 Medical Assistant Schools in Florida
Atlantic Technical College
The Atlantic Technical College 12-month medical assistant program focuses on professionalism and human value development throughout the training.
Students enrolled in this program will walk out with the ability to perform clerical and clinical procedures typical to a physician’s office.
The curriculum is 1,300 hours and was designed to match industry standards that cover basic to advanced medical assisting topics.
Students are also required to complete 200 hours of clinical experience to prepare them for real-world situations.
Florida Technical College
The medical assistant program is offered at six Florida Technical College campuses scattered across the state.
In addition to traditional classroom learning, the college also offers a hybrid program allowing extra flexibility for students.
Those enrolled in the program can opt for a 44-week medical assistant technician diploma program with 160 hours of clinical work, or the 72-week associate of science degree which adds one of three medical assisting tracks: wellness & nutrition, cardiology, or basic machine operator.
Keiser University
Keiser University is considered the best medical assistant program in the state.
With campuses located around Florida, Keiser University offers students the flexibility of completing this training program closer to home.
The school offers a Medical Assisting, A.S., which is a 60.5-credit-hour program, and a Medical Assisting Science, A.S., which is a 60-credit-hour program.
Both programs are comprised of 24 general education credits.
However, the Medical Assisting certificate requires 36.5 credits of medical assisting core courses, while the Medical Assisting Science certificate requires 20 credits for common core courses and 16 clinical credits.
Orange Technical College
The medical assisting curriculum at Orange Technical College is career-centered, so students are required to develop five Occupational Completion Points (OCP), which are performance and occupational skill competencies.
The program consists of 1,300 hours, broken down into at least 29 hours per week of studies.
Students are also required to complete 200 hours of clinical work, so the entire program can be completed in 14 months.
At this time, students will be eligible to sit for the Medical Assistant (RMA) or the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) exams.
Sheridan Technical College
Located in Hollywood, Florida, Sheridan Technical College gives students access to a dedicated faculty, the latest laboratory equipment, and high-tech, modern classrooms, all of which can improve student learning and retention.
Sheridan offers a 43-week medical assistant certificate course that ranges in the curriculum from administrative skills and front office reception to the clinical requirements of the job.
Those who complete the 1,300-hour training are eligible to take the RMA and CCMA examinations.
Medical Assistant Schools in Florida – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Florida
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Atlantic Technical College | 4700 Coconut Creek Pkwy, Coconut Creek, FL 33063 |
| Florida Technical College | 12900 Challenger Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32826 |
| Keiser University | 1500 NW 49th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 |
| Orange Technical College | 2900 W Oak Ridge Rd, Orlando, FL 32809 |
| Sheridan Technical College | 5400 Sheridan St, Hollywood, FL 33021 |
Salary
The median medical assistant salary is just under $38,000 per year with a range from $32,200 to $43,700.
In Florida, medical assistants have a slightly lower median salary of $36,000 with a range from $30,000 to $41,000 per year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Medical Assistants in Florida
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $35,935 |
| Miami | $36,910 |
| Tampa | $36,087 |
| St. Petersburg | $36,094 |
| Hialeah | $36,625 |
| Orlando | $36,068 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $36,818 |
| Tallahassee | $34,388 |
| Hollywood | $36,818 |
| Pembroke Pines | $36,579 |
Regional Salary in Florida
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 2,380 | $38,750 | $18.63 | $45,760 | $31,060 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 510 | $36,650 | $17.62 | $44,240 | $30,670 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 1,410 | $35,380 | $17.01 | $44,610 | $29,080 |
| Gainesville, FL | 790 | $34,970 | $16.81 | $43,960 | $27,090 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 290 | $35,150 | $16.9 | $42,070 | $28,650 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 5,520 | $38,500 | $18.51 | $46,200 | $31,120 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 1,670 | $35,500 | $17.07 | $41,400 | $30,760 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 16,600 | $39,010 | $18.76 | $45,750 | $30,930 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 1,020 | $40,450 | $19.45 | $46,360 | $35,380 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 2,250 | $39,970 | $19.22 | $47,220 | $33,450 |
| Ocala, FL | 880 | $34,220 | $16.45 | $42,130 | $27,430 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 7,650 | $37,130 | $17.85 | $45,410 | $30,930 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1,180 | $37,840 | $18.19 | $44,680 | $30,670 |
| Panama City, FL | 440 | $35,300 | $16.97 | $43,320 | $29,970 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 1,170 | $35,340 | $16.99 | $42,170 | $29,550 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 1,120 | $37,640 | $18.1 | $44,270 | $31,210 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 430 | $36,460 | $17.53 | $44,080 | $30,970 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 430 | $41,460 | $19.94 | $58,930 | $31,430 |
| Sebring, FL | 270 | $34,470 | $16.57 | $41,900 | $28,520 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 1,210 | $34,930 | $16.79 | $39,820 | $29,630 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 9,340 | $37,750 | $18.15 | $44,960 | $30,110 |
| The Villages, FL | 420 | $36,020 | $17.32 | $43,560 | $29,800 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Schools by City
- Fort Lauderdale, FL5 Schools
- Jacksonville, FL4 Schools
- Miami, FL4 Schools
- Orlando, FL4 Schools
- Tampa, FL4 Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I consider when choosing a medical assistant school in Florida?
When selecting the best medical assisting school for you, remember that a good education and certification will help improve your employability.
Neither certification nor education is a requirement in the state, but training will help improve your career.
You also want a program that can work around your job, a training length that fits your needs, and an affordable program.
Does becoming a Florida medical assistant require a lot of math?
Medical assistants must understand the proper way to complete match calculations centered around multiplication, metrics, fractions, and percentages.
This means a basic understanding of algebra and fundamental math is required for those interested in entering this field.
What are the basic responsibilities of a Florida medical assistant?
Some of the most common tasks include drawing blood, removing sutures, taking ECGs, transmitting prescription refills, and preparing medications through a physician’s direction.
Other responsibilities include conducting laboratory tests, gathering laboratory specimens, assisting physicians during exams, preparing patients for exams, taking patient medical histories, and explaining treatment procedures.
What are the best traits a Florida medical assistant can have?
The best medical assistants are effective communicators to patients, their families, colleagues, and superiors, have compassion, are outgoing, and are non-judgmental.
Other top traits include having self-control, remaining calm under pressure, being reliable to support colleagues, and honestly passing along the information to superiors and patients, whether positive or negative.
What is the greatest challenge of being a medical assistant?
In addition to the daily responsibilities, the most challenging aspect of being a medical assistant relates to the unexpected administrative and clinical emergencies that occur during a shift.
This is more common when working in hospitals but can still occur in private practices.
