How to Become a Medical Assistant in South Dakota – SD

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 4th, 2010

Medical assistants are office personnel with special training in the medical field so that they can be a valuable member of the team in a medical practice or hospital setting. Those aspiring to become medical assistants are usually caring, people-oriented professionals who can juggle direct patient contact and the administrative duties in the front office at the same time. Medical assistants in South Dakota are part of an ever-expanding field, and serve a vitally important function in the constantly changing medical practice environment. The aging baby boomer generation has made the medical field a high-growth industry, and medical assistants are in greater demand.

South Dakota does not allow any medical assistants to practice in a hospital or medical practice without registering with the state’s Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners. Considered a licensure process, registration is required and lasts for 2 years after the initial registration period is renewed. The state of South Dakota requires the completion of post-secondary training, which is commonly undertaken through South Dakota medical assistant programs and prefers the voluntary national CMA certification for registration.

To become a medical assistant, interested applicants must complete a post-secondary medical assistant program in South Dakota that leads to either a certificate, a diploma, or an associates degree from an accredited college or hospital training program. Programs must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).