Acquire a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED). Most employers, trade schools and community colleges consider a GED to be the equivalent of a high school diploma.
Look for a job in newspapers or online at job sites that state they will train a medical assistant on the job. In some states, formal training is not required to be a medical assistant, and some clinical settings will offer on-the-job training.
Attend a one-year program at a trade school. The trade school will give you a medical assistant certificate at the end of the program.
Get a two-year associates degree at a community, county or online college. Some colleges offer a medical assistant training program.
After completing your program of choice, take the certification exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant. In some states, certification is not required, but it will help increase your job options, and may put you into a slightly higher pay bracket.