Medical assisting is your initial venture into the world of medicine. If you are still in pre-med this might be the perfect job for you for an insider’s view of what goes on outside of a doctor’s ER. Assuming that you are in pre-med, it would be safe to say that you won’t faint at the sight and smell of blood because Medical Assisting is not all about administrative work.
Are you ready for Medical Assisting? Whether you're looking for an Associate degree or a standard diploma in Medical Assisting, we can help you get started! This Medical Assistant job description will explain what’s involved in this career. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Is Medical Assisting an ideal job for you?
If you want a job that lets you help and get in close contact with medical practitioners and people from all walks of life, medical assisting is an ideal job for you. If you know you have good communication skills and fantastic PR, you might be a good fit for this job. Aside from being with all sorts of professionals and patients, you will get the chance to experience what multi-tasking is all about. Furthermore, if you want variety, this job is for you since every day poses different situations but with one end in mind, the best care for people who need it.
Compassion, care, variety, challenge and immense learning are the very basics of Medical Assisting.
How’s the job market shaping up for Medical Assistants?
The future looks bright so you’d better invest in a good pair of shades! It looks like there will be many openings for Medical Assistant jobs in the near future. Medical Assistants are in demand because hospitals, clinics, homes and patient care centers are expanding. In fact, the U.S. Labor Department lists Medical Assisting as one of the fastest growing high-demand jobs in the country.
What tasks do Medical Assistants perform daily?
Multi-tasking is one of the daily tasks of a Medical Assistant. The other medical assistant duties and tasks are divided into:
Administrative:
- Use the computer and knowing more than one computer application.
- Take phone calls.
- Make sure patients are welcomed into the receiving area.
- File and update medical records.
- Help patients fill out insurance forms.
- Properly file insurance forms.
- Schedule patient and doctor appointments.
- Coordinate hospital admissions and medical services.
- Take care of mail, billing and payments.
Medical:
- Update patient charts including medical histories up to the most recent check-ups.
- Take the patients through the steps or processes involving a medical procedure.
- Assist and prep patients for a doctor’s examination.
- Provide stand-by assistance to a medical practitioner including administering blood tests, electrocardiograms, x-rays, and changing dressings, among other tasks.
- Perform and collect lab test results.
- Follow doctor’s instructions about a patient’s medication and diet and relay the same set of instructions to a patient.
What kind of educational background must you possess?
If you’re interested in learning how to become a medical assistant, you should know about the educational requirements first. You must be a high school graduate with a diploma to prove it. Medical assistants need one to two years professional experience in the field of health care and medicine.
Is certification preferred?
Yes, becoming a certified medical assistant is preferred but not required. However, in today’s “lawsuit-happy” society, employers would rather hire someone certified to minimize the worry. You can get certified with the help of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). You’ll take a certified Medical Assistant exam.
How much do Medical Assistants earn?
Depending on which state you work in, Medical Assistants earn a minimum of $21,000 to $25,000 annually. This annual salary for a Medical Assistant is just the basic pay and excludes benefits, bonuses and overtime.
There you have it, the basics of Medical Assisting. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, you might want to shift to this profession sometime soon!