Medical Assistants

If having an exciting and meaningful career that is essential to patient care, challenging, involves helping others, requires a wide range of clinical and office management skills, and offers one of the fastest growing job outlooks in healthcare sounds interesting, then Medical Assisting might be the job for you!

Medical assistants are the only allied health professionals specifically trained to work in ambulatory settings, such as physicians' offices, clinics and group practices. Medical assistants are multi-skilled practitioners who are proficient in administrative and clinical tasks and are viewed by doctors as vital partners in increasing medical office productivity. More Medical Assistants are employed by practicing physicians than any other type of allied health personnel, and Medical Assistants are in high demand!

Medical Assistants are in greater demand than ever

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014 as the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population. Increasing utilization of medical assistants in the rapidly growing health care industry will further stimulate job growth. In fact, medical assistants are projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004–14 period.

Excellent Career Potential

Medical Assistants are non-licensed professionals that work under the license of their supervising physician or the managed care organization that employs them. Duties of Medical assistants include both clinical and administrative tasks that vary in accordance with state laws as well as between different practice settings. Medical Assistants are talented and professionals who need to be good at multi-tasking!

Administrative tasks of a Medical Assistant typically include greeting patients, handling correspondence, coding and completing out insurance forms, scheduling appointments, answering telephones, updating and filing patients’ medical records, handling billing and bookkeeping, purchasing supplies and equipment for the office, and arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services.

In many cases an experienced Medical Assistant becomes the administrative director of the practice by managing marketing, financial and strategic planning, contract negotiations, developing fee schedules, maintaining accounting and banking records, processing payroll, developing personnel, policy and procedure materials, and performing personnel management functions.

The legal scope of Medical Assistant's clinical duties vary by state but generally include taking medical histories, preparing patients for examination, assisting the physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse during patient exams, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, and performing basic laboratory tests.

Medical Assistants can not make independent medical assessments or give advice to patients, but properly educated medical assistants may also draw blood, remove sutures and change dressings, run electrocardiograms, educate patients about medication and special diets, prepare and administer some medications as directed by a physician, and authorize prescription refills as directed. Medical Assistants such as ophthalmic medical assistants and podiatric medical assistants who have specialized in a particular field typically have even more responsibilities.

Medical assistants work in well-lighted, clean environments. They constantly interact with other people and may have to handle several responsibilities at once. Most full-time medical assistants work a regular 40-hour week. Some work part time, evenings, or weekends.

Education and Training

Some Medical Assistants are trained on the job, although this practice is far less common than in the past due in large part to the ever increasing scope of clinical duties involved in today's medical practice settings. Increased responsibilities and clinical skills require formal education that meets common standards.

Most employers prefer graduates of formal programs in medical assisting, and in fact, only graduates of accredited schools in medical assisting are eligible to take certification exams. Most employers require certification and some states require certification to perform certain specific job duties. Formal education programs usually last either 1 year, resulting in a certificate or diploma, or 2 years, resulting in an associate degree.

Getting an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting means having a professional edge, increased prestige among employers, better job security, greater earnings capability, and greater career advancement opportunities. It also opens the door for those who may decide to continue their education to become a registered nurse, physician assistant, or physician.

Earnings

The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual earnings of medical assistants were $24,610 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,650 and $28,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34,650. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical assistants in May 2004 were:

Getting Started
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