• Texas medical assistants do not have to be certified.medical team with nurse holding syringe getting ready for an inj image by asiana from Fotolia.com
  
  A medical assistant does administrative and clinical tasks to assist physicians and other health practitioners. The particular duties of medical assistants depend on the office's location and size and the practitioner's specialty. In Texas, a medical assistant license is not required and certification is voluntary for most medical assistants. However, sanitation and hygiene regulations do apply to medical assistants.
  
  

Certification

• There are no state licensing requirements for medical assistants in Texas. There is a certification test that is offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. However, the certification is not regulated by the state. Although there are not specific standards in Texas, most employers prefer to hire people who have certification.
  
  

Educational Requirements

• While some physicians will train a medical assistant, most prefer hiring an assistant with certification. Many Texas medical assistant training programs take between 10 and 14 months to finish. Graduates can seek certification as a medical assistant. Many community colleges, vocational schools and online distance learning centers offer medical assisting programs. Medical assistants need to be familiar with medical terminology, clinical procedures and insurance billing requirements.
  
  

Hygiene, Sanitation, and Privacy Regulations

• Medical assistants who assist physicians in a clinical setting must follow all of the hygiene and sanitation regulations required of nurses and physicians. Medical assistants must always wash their hands before touching patients and keep all medical supplies sanitized. Any medical assistant with access to and knowledge of medical records must keep those records confidential.