How to Become a Medical Assistant in New Jersey

Who can apply

• New Jersey does not license medical assistants. There is no state application to work as one.
• To give injections or draw blood (venipuncture) for a physician, you must meet the Board of Medical Examiners' definition of a "certified medical assistant": a graduate of an accredited post-secondary medical assisting program of at least 330 clock hours that includes injection training, who keeps a current national certification (for example AAMA, NCCT, AMCA, NAHP, NCMA, or AMT registration).
• To take x-rays you need a New Jersey radiologic technology license from the Department of Environmental Protection, such as a limited chest or orthopedic license.

Step by step

1. Finish a medical assisting program or on-the-job training with a physician practice.
2. If you want to give injections or do venipuncture, choose an accredited post-secondary program of at least 330 clock hours that teaches injections (N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.4).
3. Earn and keep a current national certification (CMA-AAMA, RMA-AMT, NCMA-NCCT or another body the rule names). It is voluntary for general MA work but required for injections and venipuncture.
4. Your physician documents that you completed at least 10 hours of injection training and performed 10 intramuscular, 10 subcutaneous and 10 intradermal injections satisfactorily (and 10 hours of training plus 10 venipunctures for blood draws).
5. If your job includes x-rays, complete a Board-approved limited radiography program, pass the exam and get a limited license from the NJ DEP.
6. Work under the physician. For injections, the physician must stay on the premises the whole time.

Training and exam

Training: No state-mandated program for general medical assistant work. For injections and venipuncture, N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.4 requires graduation from an accredited post-secondary medical assisting program of at least 330 clock hours that includes injection training, plus documented task training: at least 10 hours of injection training with 10 satisfactory intramuscular, 10 subcutaneous and 10 intradermal injections; and at least 10 hours of venipuncture training with at least 10 satisfactory venipunctures.

Exam: New Jersey has no state medical assistant exam. A current national certification (from AAMA, NCCT, AMCA, NAHP, NCMA, AMT or another board-approved body) is required only if a physician has you give injections or draw blood under N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.4. Taking x-rays requires passing the licensing exam for a New Jersey limited radiography category (chest, orthopedic, podiatric or urologic); the DEP says candidates pay the exam fee directly to the ARRT.

What it costs in New Jersey

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 New Jersey

What a medical assistant can do in New Jersey: A physician (MD, DO or podiatrist) may direct a certified medical assistant employed in the practice to give intradermal, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections and to perform venipuncture. The physician must first examine the patient, decide on the treatment, and write the injection type, dose, method and site in the record. The MA is named with credentials in the record each time and must wear a visible ID badge showing name and credentials.

Supervision for injections: The physician must remain on the premises at all times while the medical assistant carries out injection orders, and be close enough to the treatment room to respond to a reaction or emergency.

What a medical assistant cannot do: Even a certified medical assistant may not inject allergenic testing or treatment substances, local anesthetics, controlled dangerous substances, experimental drugs (including drugs not FDA-approved), or antineoplastic chemotherapy agents other than corticosteroids.

X-ray: No one may operate x-ray equipment on people in New Jersey without a radiologic technology license for that scope (N.J.A.C. 7:28-19.3). Limited licenses include chest (fixed equipment, chest views only, no ribs or sternum) and orthopedic (fixed equipment, spine and extremities only). Licenses run on a two-year cycle ending December 31 of even-numbered years.

X-ray exam application: To apply for the New Jersey limited radiography exam you must be at least 18, send proof of at least a high school education (or GED or equivalent), and have the application notarized. Passing the exam does not by itself get you a license: you must also meet the education and clinical competency requirements. If you did not graduate from a New Jersey or JRCERT-approved program in the last 5 years, you need documented work experience from the last 5 years, which cannot be obtained in New Jersey.

Sources

• N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.4 - Delegation of injections and venipuncture to certified medical assistants (Cornell LII)
• N.J.A.C. 7:28-19.3 - Radiologic technology license required (Cornell LII)
• N.J.A.C. 7:28-19.4 - Scopes of practice, limited chest and orthopedic (Cornell LII)
• N.J.A.C. 7:28-19.9 - License term and renewal (Cornell LII)
• N.J.A.C. 7:28-19.10 - Fees (Cornell LII)
• NJ DEP - Application for examination in limited radiography (ARRT fee note)