How to Become a Medical Assistant in Connecticut

Who can apply

• Connecticut has no state license for medical assistants.
• To give vaccines you must meet the statute's definition of a "clinical medical assistant": either (1) certified by AAMA, NHA, NCCT, AMT or AMCA and a graduate of an accredited postsecondary medical assisting program, or (2) someone who completed relevant medical assistant training in a branch of the U.S. armed forces.
• Connecticut has no limited x-ray permit. Operating a medical x-ray system requires a DPH radiographer license, with narrow exceptions (for example, podiatric medical assistants who passed the Board of Podiatry Examiners' radiography exam, and ISCD- or ARRT-certified bone densitometry technologists under a physician).

Step by step

1. Finish a medical assistant program. To give vaccines it must be accredited by CAAHEP, ABHES or another U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor, or be at an accredited college and total 720 hours with 160 hours of clinical skills.
2. Pass a national certification exam from AAMA, NHA, NCCT, AMT or AMCA if you will give vaccines (voluntary otherwise).
3. Before giving vaccines, complete at least 24 hours of classroom training and 8 hours of clinical training on vaccine administration.
4. Give vaccines only under the supervision, control and responsibility of a physician, PA or APRN, in a setting other than a hospital.

Training and exam

Training: No state-mandated program for the job in general. To give vaccines, C.G.S. 19a-6s requires either national certification (AAMA, NHA, NCCT, AMT or AMCA) plus graduation from an accredited medical assisting program, or relevant U.S. armed forces medical assistant training; and in both cases at least 24 classroom hours plus 8 clinical hours of vaccine-administration training.

Exam: No state medical assistant exam. A national certification (AAMA, NHA, NCCT, AMT or AMCA) is required only to give vaccines as a clinical medical assistant. Operating medical x-ray equipment requires a DPH radiographer license, which needs an accredited radiologic technology program and the ARRT exam; there is no limited-scope route.

What it costs in Connecticut

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Good to know in Connecticut

Vaccines: A clinical medical assistant may give vaccines to any person in any setting other than a hospital, under the supervision, control and responsibility of a physician, PA or APRN. An employer cannot make a physician, PA or APRN oversee this without that clinician's consent (C.G.S. 19a-6s).

X-ray: C.G.S. 20-74bb says no person may operate a medical x-ray system (including energizing the beam and positioning the patient) without a DPH radiographer license. The license needs an accredited radiologic technology program and the ARRT exam; the application fee is $200 and annual renewal is $105. C.G.S. 20-74ee lists narrow exceptions, including a podiatric medical assistant who passed the Connecticut Board of Podiatry Examiners' radiography exam and works under a podiatrist, and a technologist certified by ISCD or ARRT who operates a bone densitometry system under a physician's supervision.

Sources

• C.G.S. Chapter 368a, Sec. 19a-6s - Provision of vaccines by clinical medical assistants
• C.G.S. Chapter 376c - Radiographers (Secs. 20-74aa to 20-74ee)