The bureau of labor statistics recently said that being in the medical assistant industry is a viable career choice for those who would like to create a niche for themselves in the medical field.
A certified medical assistant works with physicians, nurses and American medical technologists in healthcare institutions. They receive comprehensive salary packages and benefits, so the association of medical assistants said being one is a sustainable employment.
Also, being a medical assistant is not that hard. To become one, a year or a couple of years training is enough to turn a person into a certified medical assistant. This makes the career a very real option for people who wants to have a steady income in a healthy working environment.
To become a medical assistant, you must first have a high school diploma and choose from two types of educational programs: a one-year certification or a two-year associate’s degree from accredited schools with comprehensive experience in the field.
Medical Assistant – Starting off right
Although it is not a full-blown replacement to a college degree, working as ophthalmic medical assistants or podiatric medical assistants can truly be a life-changing choice for you. With this, you are not only able to help health practitioners, but you will also be taking care of the needs of patients and their families.
Whether you choose a one-year or two-year medical assisting program, you are bound by the national center for competency and the bureau of health education to fulfill the requirements in medical terminology, math and science, first aid and even medical billing.
After you have decided on what kind of course you want to take, you must make sure the school has an accreditation of allied health and an accredited medical assisting program.
After completing the courses, you can then take the exam to become a national certified medical assistant. This is not a requirement, however, for everyone. In fact, you may opt to work as a non-certified assistant if you don’t want to take the certification exam.
However, a certified clinical medical assistant will have more job opportunities than those who didn’t take the exam.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The shifts in medical facilities opened the need for people who can do administrative, clerical and clinical duties so nurses and physicians can focus on their jobs.
The duties of medical assistants can be wrapped up in one word: assist. An assistant makes the occupation of a physician or nurse easier by admitting a patient, taking vital signs and health history and updating charts. At some point, they may even be allowed to give shots provided they have the proper training.
It is very important for you to have the right training program before you take matters in your own hands in a clinic or a laboratory.
As a medical assistant, you should be able to streamline hospital services and processes without necessarily transferring the burden to the patients or their immediate families. Your job is to make life easier for doctors, nurses, administrative staff and the patients—and all of these can be achieved if you go through a program that can train you for your responsibilities.
The everyday duties of someone who works in this field isn’t as time consuming and physically draining as other health practitioners. In fact, aside from extra hours, they can build a career from a 40-hour-per-week job. And yet, medical assistants are provided with comprehensive salary and health benefits.
In 2010, they are being paid somewhere between $20,000 to $40,000. This salary can increase as much as 10 percent every year, reports indicated.
With proper education, a one-year or two-year training can really provide a proper and stable income for a medical assistant.
