I’m Becoming a Medical Assistant. Should I Join the AAMA?

For medical assistants, joining the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) is one of the first things you should consider.

Throughout many professions, there are professional organizations of these types, and for many people, it is an internal struggle as to whether to join them or not. Some people consider their profession a job and aren’t interested in committing a great deal of their time and money into programs that will help them in their current field, particularly when they aren’t as committed to this job as to others.

Others, of course, feel drawn into their occupation and want to learn as much about it as possible, gain expertise and certifications, and improve their standing in their field. It is for those people in the field of medical assisting that a professional organization like the AAMA is the most beneficial.

If you choose to enter the medical assisting field with an eye on the present, building a few job skills before moving on in potentially another field altogether, you may or may not find much benefit in the AAMA. It is true that membership in that group is an investment; in order to maximize its usefulness, you will most likely be putting some money into the group.

Of course, if you have a dedicated office, you might ask your employer if they would be willing to fund your AAMA membership. It does provide benefits to the office, after all; AAMA members have access to a variety of benefits that help give you new insights and expertise.

Access to perks like continuing education (offered usually at a discount), as well as conferences and conventions, along with having access to colleagues with whom to network (the advantages to talking shop with others who work in the same industry around the country can be particularly valuable and should not be underestimated).

But none of this will matter all that much if you aren’t committed to the job. For many people, medical assisting isn’t their final stop, or even necessarily a stop they are planning to stay at for years to come, so they don’t feel the need to commit to this professional organization. Is this the right approach?

Maybe, maybe not. Even if you plan to transition into another career entirely, you may find some benefit in joining the AAMA. If you’re in your 20s or early 30s and are just starting out in the professional world, it can be a good experience to witness the commitment of others to their profession, even if you aren’t necessarily joining in on that commitment.

Plus, you may develop some additional job skills that you might find useful in the future. Communication skills, logic and reasoning, and the ability to look deeper into your work than the immediate task in front of you are all skills that will be useful in virtually any job you have in the future, in healthcare or elsewhere.

The point? If you can afford to join, the AAMA can provide benefits to your career. It may or may not be a completely useful tool for you as a professional, but whether you’re a medical assisting lifer or just looking for the next job, chances are good you will learn something.

Find out how you can join the AAMA by talking to your Career Services Advisor at Ayers Career College.