This AMA STEPS Forward toolkit on medical assistant (MA) recruitment and retention will help you understand the pathways to MA certification and best practices for hiring and retaining top-tier medical assistants for your team. It also discusses how to define the role to best contribute to your practice and make the position fulfilling for the MA. With videos, text, quizzes, and downloadable templates and resources, it’s a comprehensive look into the medical assistant as a valuable member of the care team. (Note that physicians who read the text of the toolkit and all the downloadable resources may earn CME credit.)

Five STEPS to Recruit and Retain Medical Assistants in Your Practice

1. Understand the Various Pathways to Becoming a Medical Assistant
2. Determine the Best Medical Assistant Role in Your Practice
3. Make the Business Case for Medical Assistant Recruitment
4. Onboard Your Team
5. Retain Top Talent

Other highlights include:

• An explanation of the differences between certification and licensure
• Guidance on optimizing skillsets tailored to your specific practice or facility
• Tools illustrating efficient staffing models, such as the Cleveland Clinic’s 2:1 medical assistant–physician staffing model
• An interactive calculator to assess the number of medical assistants required and calculate potential savings
• A standardized training checklist for medical assistants, along with additional training resources