Interested in a Medical Assistant Career?
In these days, finding a job is a very trying task. A good job is very competitive; you have to prepare well to be able to stand out and be noticed. You should find the right career and pursue it.The medical health industry offers some of the most lucrative professions, not only by being a physician yourself but you can also be someone who assists the physician in the performance of his duties.
This kind of job is called the Medical Assistant (not the same as Physician’s Assistant). Medical assistants perform the demanding job of working with physicians, mainly in medical offices and clinics. They are the ones who handle the administrative and clinical jobs in the physician’s offices.
Medical Assistants work inside laboratories, hospitals and doctors’ clinics. They may also work alongside with other health care employees in the workplace. It is not a physically demanding job, unless the clinic uses heavy medical equipment. Medical Assistants need to have basic medical knowledge plus a lot of people-friendly traits to ensure that the patients and their families go through a calm and relaxed visit. The Medical Assistants normally work in regular work time of 9-5, but it may vary depending on the physician’s specialization or the clinic that they serve.
There is a very bright future for this kind of job. Employment projections for Medical Assistants show a 29% growth in the years 2012-2020. This is a much faster growth compared to the average growth of all other jobs. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is one of the nation’s fastest growing careers. Their records also show that in 2013, the mean wage estimates for this occupation was $14.80 per hour and $30,780 per annum. Medical Assistants in California is shown as receiving an average of $16.37 per hour and $34,505 per annum. Medical assistance is definitely a promising career to pursue.
The main function of a Medical Assistant is to make the doctor’s office perform efficiently and smoothly. The Medical Assistant will be dealing mostly with the patients and with the patients’ families.
The Medical Assistant’s responsibilities include:
• Greeting patients and making them feel comfortable
• Using computer applications to check or record information about the patient, update and file patient medical records, fill up insurance forms, and to schedule appointments
• Answering telephones
• Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
• Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping
• Dealing with the patients for examination
• Explaining procedures to patients
• Instructing patients about medication and administering them as directed by the physician
• Assisting the physician during exams
• Performing basic laboratory tests
• Authorizing prescription refills as directed
• Assisting the physician during exams
• Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
• Performing basic laboratory tests
• Drawing blood
• Taking electrocardiograms
• Removing sutures and changing dressings
• All other duties as assigned by the clinic or practice administrator
Note that these duties may not be the same for every clinic; they depend on the kind of practice and the location of the clinic; they may vary from state to state.
If you are seriously considering this job, make sure that you know all the medical assistant requirements before you get yourself involved. This way you can prepare yourself better for a successful career.
Since you will be assisting doctors, you need to have basic medical background. Some Medical Assistants have a high school diploma and learn their duties on the job. Some take programs in medical assisting from community colleges or technical schools where they earn their certificate or diploma.
Medical Assistant Education
There are no formal education requirements to become a Medical Assistant. However if you want to stand out from the others when you apply for this position, you may want to take a postsecondary education and obtain a certificate in a Medical Assisting program. Most employers would appreciate this edge over the others.You should find a reliable school that offers education and medical assistant courses. These courses should be taught by qualified faculty who are backed with experience in their own fields of studies. The course should also include hands-on training on both administrative and clinical duties.
With this course, you will be able to assist a physician or a practice with some administrative and clinical duties to keep their offices running smoothly and efficiently.
Here are some additional medical assistant requirements that you should consider if you want to excel in your job.
Computers are a part of today’s modern offices and clinics. Because of this, Medical Assistants should also have computer skills to help them perform their duties above par.
They should have ample knowledge of word processing and be able to operate computer health records application programs. They should have the ability to operate computers especially for patient documentation and appointment scheduling. In addition, they should also know basic accounting procedures and filing of insurance claims. They should have clinical, procedural, documentation and verbal communication skills, know how to create a safe and effective environment, promote health and maintenance, work in a hospital environment, must possess knowledge of inventory control and planning, must be dependable and be able to work with a medical team.
With all these information on hand and all your preparation, there are no reasons why you cannot find a meaningful Medical Assistant position in any location you want.