If helping others has always been a part of who you are. If you have always been the friend with tissues and paracetamol in their bag and always binge-watched the medical dramas then everyone around you know that you are fated to pursue a career in the reputed medical field.
For a quick entry into the healthcare field, a job as a medical assistant is an excellent career option for you. They are required in all types of facilities and are an important part of the healthcare team. These professionals interact with everyone including patients, doctors and pharmacists.
This profession is the fastest growing career according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Who is a Medical Assistant?
These professionals provide a variety of technical, clerical, receptionist, patient care services to keep the offices and clinics of physicians, chiropractors, optometrists running smoothly and they perform these tasks under the supervision and guidance of nurses and medical practitioners.
They help the patients with basic patient care activities by putting them at ease and handling their administrative tasks. They serve as a communication link between the doctor and the patient.
Physician assistant diagnoses and treats patients under the guidance of a physician whereas a medical assistant only works with patients and doesn’t treat or diagnose.
Responsibilities
The exact scope of duties of these professionals depends on the size of the hospital, medical facility and practice.
The administrative duties of Medical assistants include answering the telephone and greet the patients, fill and update the medical records as needed, scheduling appointments and handling the correspondence and billing and confirming the purpose of the visit.
Their clinical duties include taking note of the medical histories of patients, recording vital information assisting the doctor during appointments and preparing the patient for examination and performing basic lab tests.
- Administer injections and provide medicines to the patients under the supervision of physicians and as permitted by state law.
- Use Electronic Health Records (EHR) to transfer the patient’s information from paper to electronic records.
- Updating the job knowledge by reading professional publications and being a part of educational opportunities.
- Scheduling surgeries by making appointments with the surgical centre, verification of time with patients, preparation of charts, pre-consent and admission forms.
- Follow standard procedures and legal regulations and maintain a healthy, secure and safe work environment.
- Keep the instruments and equipment active by following the operating instructions, troubleshooting and managing supplies and calling for repairs.
Educational Requirements
- High school students who want to become medical assistants have to take up courses in biology, chemistry and anatomy and possibly in business and computers.
- These professionals need to graduate from post-secondary education programs. There are no formal educational qualifications for this profession but employers prefer candidates with these programs.
- Community colleges and universities, vocational and technical schools offer medical assisting programs with a certificate and diploma.
- Pass any one of the certification exams- Certified Medical Assistant CMA (AAMA) exam or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam.
- Expertise in technical skills like medical terminology, patient etiquette, usage of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and performing healthcare administrative tasks. Be adept in soft skills like interpersonal and analytic skills and be detail-oriented.
Various Careers
- Administrative medical assistants
- Chiropractic Assistants
- Optometric Aides
- Clinical Medical Assistants
- Morgue Attendants
- Ocular care aides
- Ophthalmic Medical Assistants
- Autopsy Assistants
- Podiatric Aides
- Specialized assistants
- Orthopedic cast specialists
- Certified Medical assistants
Career Advancement
With years of experience and specialization, the medical assistants can move onto leadership job roles of healthcare occupations like nurse practitioner, physician assistant or registered nurse.
Salary and Job Prospects
The salary of a medical assistant is largely dependent on factors like experience; city, types of medical facility, where you work and possessing a certification could help start a job with a high salary.
The median salary for a full-time medical assistant position is $33,610 per year. This salary is halfway point where half of the medical assistants make less and the other half makes more money.
The median annual salaries for medical assistants in the top industries they work are:
- Outpatient care centers- $36,810
- Hospitals- $36,080
- Physicians’ offices- $34,870
- Chiropractor’s offices- $30,870
From 2018 to 2028, the career prospects of medical assistants are expected to grow at a rate of 23% more than the average growth for other occupations. Primary care is the growing field of healthcare with the opening up of new practices daily and this is the basic practice of medical assistants contributing to increasing job demands. The rise of preventive medical services due to the increasing ageing population also leads to the employment of medical assistants by physicians.
– Samiya Firdous
