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Receive your NHA CCMA certification
100% online followed by in-person clinical hours
Job interview prep and resume services
1:1 Support From Enrollment to Employment
Stepful’s Medical Assistant program is designed for those looking to take the next step in their careers by becoming a certified medical assistant in South Dakota.
Our online program prepares you to earn your Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification from the National Healthcareer Association and perform all the duties of medical assistants, including both those in the front office as well as working with patients.
Our South Dakota Medical Assistant classes take 4 months to complete and cover all essential topics such as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, healthcare systems, phlebotomy, EKG, patient care coordination, and much more.
The Stepful staff is here to support you at every stage of the journey. From career preparedness to help finding an in-person externship*, we're here to help you launch your career in healthcare.
*Please note, students must be available M-F, 9-5 p.m. to be eligible for externship support.
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At-home clinical kit included
What you’ll learn
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Weeks 1-4
Learn the foundational healthcare knowledge needed to become a well-rounded Medical Assistant. Topics include healthcare systems, medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology.
Weeks 5-8
Master the ins and outs of clinical patient care, such as infection control, phlebotomy, EKG, as well as patient care coordination and education.
Weeks 9-13
Learn how to handle routine administrative responsibilities and get a good grasp of medical law and ethics as well as excellent customer service.
Weeks 14-17+
Prepare for your national certification exam, get certified, and work with your dedicated coach to find an externship and then a full-time job.
Pick Your Start Date
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01
Obtain a High School Diploma or GED
South Dakota does not require medical assistants to have advanced degrees. The only requirement is that you graduate from high school or earn your GED.
When you enroll in a training program or apply for jobs, you will need to submit your diploma or GED certificate.
02
Complete a Medical Assistant Course
Completing a course and getting certified isn’t a requirement to work as a medical assistant in South Dakota. However, employers prefer to hire medical assistants who have training and are certified.
Courses that prepare you for a national certification exam, like ours here at Stepful, can be completed in a few months entirely online. So, not only will you gain knowledge, skills, and confidence, but you will also increase your chances of getting hired.
03
Complete a Medical Assistant Externship
Externships are learning opportunities where students experience being a medical assistant firsthand in a healthcare setting. With an externship, you can apply your online learning in real-world situations under professional supervision. This kind of hands-on training is invaluable for you and future employers.
At Stepful, we help students who are in good academic and financial standing find an externship interview with one of our partner clinics. This includes 80 to 160 clinical hours that help you get experience before you start working full-time.
Healthcare organizations, not related to Stepful, in South Dakota that can offer externships opportunities include Monument Health and other private practices and hospital systems.
04
Pass your Medical Assistant Certification Exam
Getting certified shows employers that you are competent and prepared. It can lead you to better jobs and a higher salary. Since South Dakota does not require a specific certification, you can choose which certifying organization to test with.
Most training programs prepare their students to test for the credentials of Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA).
Stepful’s South Dakota Medical Assistant Program prepares students to test for their CCMA certification. This certification is more focused on the clinical aspects of medical assisting as opposed to the administrative work.
05
Search for Jobs
Job search sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter list many job openings for medical assistants in South Dakota.
Likewise, healthcare systems in South Dakota, like the Great Plains Tribal Leaders' Health Board and Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, also have postings for medical assistants in the various hospitals and practices they run.
Here at Stepful, students have access to resume services, mock interviews, and career coaching to help you find a job in your area. We support you from enrollment to employment.
You are not required to be certified to work as a medical assistant in South Dakota, according to the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners. However, employers are much more likely to hire a certified medical assistant.
The most common certifications for medical assistants include Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the NHA, Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) from the AAMA, and Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from the AMT.
Employers in South Dakota accept each of these.
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Medical assistants in South Dakota do not need a license. They are, however, required to work under the direct supervision of a person licensed to practice medicine in the state of South Dakota.
Since South Dakota does not require licensing or registration of medical assistants, there is no specific scope of practice provided by the state. However, the South Dakota Society of Medical Assistants provides this list as a general outline of duties medical assistants can and cannot perform.
What Medical Assistants Can Do in South Dakota
A medical assistant working under the direct supervision of a person licensed to practice medicine in South Dakota may perform the following duties:
- Performing aseptic procedures
- Taking vital signs
- Preparing patients for examination
- Phlebotomous blood withdrawal and nonintravenous injections
- Observing and reporting patients' signs or symptoms
- Administering basic first aid
- Assisting with patient examinations or treatment
- Operating office medical equipment
- Collecting routine laboratory specimens
- Administering medications by unit dosage
- Performing basic laboratory procedures
- Performing office procedures, including all general administrative tasks
- Performing suprapubic catheterizations involving an established fistula
- Applying ace bandages and splints to extremities
- Performing EKGs and glucose testing
What Medical Assistants Cannot Do in South Dakota
Medical assistants are unlicensed individuals who work under the supervision of a physician or other licensed healthcare providers. Generally speaking, they are prohibited from examining, diagnosing, or treating patients.
Here are some specific tasks that medical assistants are not allowed to do in South Dakota:
- May not inject insulin
- May not administer medications that require calculation of a dose
- May not perform health teaching, counseling, or patient education
- May not perform irrigations for ostomy/stoma care
- May not perform arterial withdrawal of blood
Common South Dakota Medical Assistant Responsibilities
Whether they work in clinics, hospitals, or outpatient settings, most medical assistants have similar responsibilities. These responsibilities can be broken down into clinical and administrative tasks.
Clinical Tasks
- Taking patient vitals
- Documenting patient information in an electronic health record
- Preparing patients for procedures
- Collecting urine, sputum, and stool samples
- Assisting with procedures
- Administering basic first aid
- Assisting with patient examinations or treatment
- Operating office medical equipment
- Sterilizing surgical tools
Administrative Tasks
- Answering phone calls
- Assisting with billing and insurance
- Scheduling appointments
- Organizing supplies
- Maintaining inventory
One of the best things about starting a career as a medical assistant in South Dakota is the positive job outlook.
As of May 2023, there were 1,010 medical assisting jobs in South Dakota, or 2.26 per 1,000 residents.
Medical assistants in South Dakota earn a decent salary, with a median annual salary of $36,280, or $17.44 per hour.
Nationally, medical assistant jobs are expected to increase by 15% over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).. This is more than three times higher than the average growth expected for all jobs nationwide (4%) and better than the projected job growth for all healthcare jobs (12%).
This high demand for medical assistants means that certified medical assistants should be able to find a job quickly and may be able to negotiate for higher starting wages.
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Salary: $36,280 / year
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Job Outlook: +15% Growth
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# of Jobs in South Dakota: 1,010
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South Dakota Society of Medical Assistants: The mission of this organization is to provide the medical assistant profession with education, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality patient-centered health care. The SDSMA is an affiliate of The American Association of Medical Assistants.
National organizations that support medical assistants in their careers include:
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