Medical Assistant
Who Are Medical Assistants?

Is This Program in My Area?

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Medical Assistants play an important and necessary support role in health care. Medical assistants are trained to ensure that the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors and other medical practitioners operate smoothly by performing administrative and clinical tasks like medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties. These duties can include working directly with the physician or other health practitioner.

What Do Medical Assistants Do?

Medical Assistants operate under the direction of doctors and other health care professionals to care for all types of patients. Common tasks performed by medical assistants may include recording patient’s medical histories, taking vital signs and going over treatment procedures with patients. They also prep patients and assist doctor medical practitioners during exams. Medical assistants collect lab work, sterilize medical instruments, authorize drug refills as directed, call in pharmacy prescriptions, draw blood, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

Medical Assistant Training

Training for medical assistant certification is available from postsecondary vocational schools, proprietary schools and community colleges that offer medical assistant courses. Medical assistant programs tend to take one year. These accelerated medical assistant classes provide graduates a certificate or diploma. Two year programs are available from medical assistant schools that offer an associate degree. Medical assistant courses cover anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students in medical assistant classes learn lab techniques, clinical procedures, pharmacy principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. It is becoming less common for on the job training. Medical assistant programs usually ask for a high school diploma or the equivalent.

Medical Assistants Certification

Formal medical assistant certification is generally preferred by employers because it indicates that a medical assistant meets certain standards of competence. There are associations for each state that that award medical assistant certification credentials. The certification process varies so it is recommended that you check with your medical assistant school for specifics. Medical assistant certification in a specialty like podiatry, optometry or ophthalmology is also available in some medical assistant programs.

Medical Assistant Job Prospects

According to the Bureau of Labor medical assistants should find excellent job prospects. A majority worked for doctor’s offices, medical clinics, public and private hospitals, chiropractors, optometrists and podiatrists and other health practitioners. Other medical assistants worked in outpatient care centers and residential care facilities. Since medical assistants serve the public they must have a courteous, pleasant manner and be able to ease patient’s concerns when explaining treatment instructions. They must respect the confidential nature of an individual’s medical information.

Medical Assistant Job Security and Salary

Demand for certified medical assistants is rapidly increasing. The Bureau of Labor expects medical assisting jobs to increase an amazing 35 percent over the next eight years. Medical assisting is one of the most in-demand jobs on the market. Schools providing medical assistant programs are trying to fill medical assistant classes to meet the high demand. Because of this, medical facilities are offering wages ranging from $22,000 to $37,000 for those who complete accredited medical assistant programs. Medical assistants can advance in their careers. Some teach medical assistant classes. Others become nurses or other health care workers. Administrative medical assistants may advance to office manager, or qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations.