I recently received the following question:
I have been reading and hearing conflicting information about whether California law requires medical assistants to be certified or licensed. Can you please clarify the California law for me?
California medical assisting law can seem confusing. However, I am happy to explain it in understandable terms.
California law does not require medical assistants to be certified or licensed to work as medical assistants. To put it another way, medical assistants do not have to complete specified medical assisting education, or take and pass a medical assisting exam, to work as medical assistants.
According to California law, medical assistants must be trained adequately in the tasks they are performing. Note the following from the Medical Board of California website:
A medical assistant shall receive training, as necessary, in the judgment of the supervising physician, podiatrist, or instructor to ensure the medical assistant is competent when performing [technical supportive services.]
However, California has specific training requirements for medical assistants to administer medication and perform venipuncture and skin puncture. Note the following from the Medical Board of California:
For medical assistants to administer medications by intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal injections, to perform skin tests, or to perform venipuncture or skin puncture for the purposes of withdrawing blood, a medical assistant shall complete the minimum training prescribed in the regulations.
Training shall be for the duration required by the medical assistant to demonstrate to the supervising physician, podiatrist, or instructor. Where applicable, training shall include no less than:
- 10 clock hours of training in administering injections and performing skin tests;
- 10 hours of training in venipuncture and skin puncture for the purpose of withdrawing blood;
- at least 10 of each intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal injections and 10 skin tests, and/or at least 10 venipuncture and 10 skin punctures;
- 10 hours of training in administering medical by inhalation; and
- Training in the above shall include instruction and demonstration in:
- pertinent anatomy and physiology appropriate to the procedures;
- choice of equipment;
- proper technique including sterile technique;
- hazards and complications;
- patient care following treatment or tests;
- emergency procedures; and
- California law and regulations for medical assistants
Under California law, it can be unclear which health professionals are able to train medical assistants outside of a formal school setting.
The Medical Board of California states the following:
Medical assistants shall be trained by a licensed physician, podiatrist, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, a physician assistant, or a qualified medical assistant. [Emphasis added.]
California law defines a “qualified medical assistant” as follows:
Per Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations section 1366.3 (c)(1)(2)(3), a “qualified medical assistant” is a medical assistant who:
- Is certified by a medical assistant certifying organization approved by the Board; … [or]
- Holds a credential to teach in a medical assistant training program at a community college; or
- Is authorized to teach medical assistants in a private postsecondary institution accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Health or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
The following is the current list of medical assisting certifying organizations approved by the Medical Board of California:
- The American Association of Medical Assistants
- American Medical Technologists
- American Medical Certification Association
- California Certifying Board of Medical Assistants
- Multiskilled Medical Certification Institute Inc.
However, note the following from the regulations of the Medical Board of California:
(c) A medical assistant certifying organization approved prior to the requirement for NCCA accreditation shall reapply for and obtain Board approval by meeting all of the requirements of this section by January 1, 2027, or its approval shall be terminated.
I hope this explanation has clarified the medical assisting law in California.