Is Medical Assisting Right For You?

The Truth is… You are the only one who’s capable of knowing if it is the right career for you or not. A lot of people studied a career and worked in a career that they don’t like. They can choose to work in a career that they like or they can choose to work in a career that they “stuck” with. That is a choice that they can make everyday. IF you really want to know if Medical Assisting is right for you here are just a few suggestions to help you find out:

1. Learn as much as you can about Medical Assisting. Search this website and learn about the duties, certification process, programs, training, schools and salary information about Medical Assistants.
2. Go to your Physician’s clinic and see if they have a Medical assistant and observe what are the duties and responsibilities of these Medical Assistants. What they are doing will be most likely what you would be doing during your entire career.
3. If it is possible, ask an experienced Medical Assistant what they think about their job is. Usually if you just ask them how are they doing with their job, they’ll be able to respond with much enthusiasm because you are interested in listening to them.
4. And finally, be prepared to the changes and advances in the healthcare profession. Medical Assisting certifications require continuing education to update yourself with the changes in science and technology. If you don’t like changes and you don’t like talking with people (patients and other health care providers) then Medical Assisting might not be the right career for you.

Is Medical Assisting a Challenging and A Financially Rewarding Career?

Yes, I would definitely say that Medical Assisting can be a challenging career. Though it does NOT require certification and credentialing, most employers and physicians now require Medical assistants that have completed Medical assisting programs and courses accredited by CAAHEP® or ABHES®. Most employers would also require that Medical Assistants become Registered or Certified too. There are four institutions that provide Medical Assistant Certification or credentialing.

Is it a Financially Rewarding Career?

The US DoL has projected that for the year 2008-2018 (one decade), this field will be one of the fastest growing occupations across North America. This can be attributed to the proliferation of physician clinics across the States and the aging population of Baby boomers who require health care.

It has one of the highest growth rates in the Labor force, about 30%

Most hourly rates for Medical Assistants are averaging $15-$20. With the highest pay rates in California, Idaho, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

States on the lower end of the pay rate includes Wyoming, West Virginia, South Dakota, Louisiana, Mississipi, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Basically the state with the higher cost of living would have a higher pay rate to compensate with it. The most important thing to know here is that although the salary rates are dependent on the geography, having experience, education, and certified or registered status can definitely help you negotiate a higher pay rate.

You might be confusing a Medical Assistant From A Physician Assistant, but the too are highly different. Basically a Physician Assistant is a licensed individual registered to practice medicine under the direct supervision of a Professional or a Physician. While Medical Assistants on the Other Hand voluntarily Register or Become Certified depending on the Certifying body. There are actually four certifying or registering bodies for Medical Assistants.

If you are interested for more information on what is the difference between a Registered Medical Assistant and A Certified Medical Assistant you can find that information here.

Medical Assistant are usually trained on the Job. They learn most of the duties and responsibilities once they start working. About 62% of Medical Assistants are working under the supervision of Physician or in Physician Clinics.

Because of the Proliferation of Health Care Clinics and the rising need for health care services, the boom in the health care industry resulted to an increased need for Medical assistants.

Statistics shows that Medical Assisting is one of the fastest growing occupations for the 2008 – 2018 decade. The average growth is only 20% but Medical Assistant Job Growth opportunities account to about 34% which is really great.

What Is A Medical Administrative Assistant?

A Medical Administrative Assistant is just a Designation for one of the Possible roles of a Medical assistant. There are actually two roles of Medical Assistants. The Clinical Roles and the Administrative Roles.

The Medical Administrative Assistant typically functions as clerk inside the physician’s clinic. One of the most IMPORTANT functions of the Medical Administrative Assistant is to protect the Privacy of the Patient’s data and health records.

Utmost care must be taken when recording patient records. Wrong data could lead to wrong assessment and diagnosis.

The Medical Administrative Assistant also performs Day to Day managerial and secretarial tasks that are important for the smooth operation within the physician clinic or area. These functions includes the following but they are not limited to these.

1. Answers Telephone And Patient Calls, Schedules Appointments and provides information to Patients and Clients.
2. When a Patient arrives in the clinic, the Medical assistant makes sure that the patient has filled out Registration forms and other needed paperworks.
3. They also assist in arranging patient schedules with Laboratory or other ancillary health services like radiology, etc
4. Medical assistants can call on behalf the patient to assist with Hospital Admissions.
5. Sometimes Medical assistants act as a book keeper for the Physician’s billing and accounting tasks.
6. Almost any type of general-clerical job can be delegated to Medical assistants if needed.

If You Answered Yes to Any of these questions, then I encourage you to continue reading this article.

Here are some quick facts about the Medical assistant profession according to the US DoL Bureau of Statistics:

• There is a Great Increase in the Demand for Medical assistants from 2008 – 2018 making the increase more than the usual rate for most professions.
• Job availability for Medical Assistants are excellent.
• About half or roughly 62% work inside physician clinics and offices.
• Mostly Medical assistants are Trained on the Job, but others have completed a 1 year to 2 Year program.

The projected growth of Medical Assistant Jobs is more than 20 percent in average (about 34 percent from 2008-2018) which is really good if you are looking to start a career in Medical Assisting. You don’t want to be in a career that would be gone in 2-5 years time.

The increased number of patients and increased physician offices will also equate to the increased demand for Medical assistants.

Medical Assistant perform 2 major roles of Medical Assistant Duties and they are Administrative or Clerical and Clinical Duties.

So How Do You Find Job Opportunities for Medical Assistants In Your Area?

Take note that being Registered and Certified is actually a different thing. It entirely depends on the body or organization providing you the title.

After being certified or registered, you’ll need to prepare your Medical Assistant Curriculum Vitae or Medical Assistant Resume, some tips are provided in the previous link.

Goodluck on hunting for you Medical Assistant Job!

They perform efficient tasks to keep a clinical setting running. They are responsible in taking the vital signs of the patient, prepare individuals prior to a medical procedure and provide assistance to doctors when they perform certain examinations and diagnostic procedures. Aside from that, assistants are also very useful at medical offices.

If you wish to pursue a medical assistant program, there are 5 important aspects that you must ponder upon.

The first aspect that you should think of is whether you will pursue a short course or an associate degree program. You can decide to get a diploma program that lasts a year and there are those which are offered for three semesters. There is also an associate degree program which can be completed for two years.

Inquire at your local college or at vocational and technical schools. Under the program, you will have classroom instructions and at the same time hands-on training on different medical setting.

Accreditation is also a very important aspect. You should seek education from a school recognized by CAAHEP or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. If not, see whether the school is approved by the Accreditation Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Completing a medical assistant course at an accredited school is a plus factor on your employment. Schools highly recommended by the accreditation body will definitely give you the training that you need.

Before you enroll for the course, read through the outline or curriculum of the school for this program. Check out the topics that will be covered so that you will be prepared for the classes. This is an important aspect especially if you are still undecided on where to get the course.

Compare the outline of the different schools and choose the one which you believe will tackle the important subjects for the career that you wish to take. Classes would generally focus on medical topics like anatomy, physiology, and a lot more.

The fourth important aspect to ponder upon is to prepare yourself for certification. When in school, you have to remember that you need to study and train hard for the exam spearheaded by the American Association of Medical Assistants.

Certification is also provided by the Association of Medical Technologists. You should motivate yourself to take the exam and meet up requirements for continuing education so that you will have great opportunities for employment and at the same time become a competent medical assistant.

Lastly, you must think of the possible areas where you can work. When you plan to pursue the career as a medical assistant, you must already have possible workplaces where you wish to work. There is a variety of working areas after you finish the program. You can seek employment at hospitals, private clinics, residential care facilities and even at medical offices.

These are the 5 important aspects that you should consider when you plan to pursue a medical assistance program.

So that you will land in the job that you really desire, you must excel in the application process. You have to create the best medical assistant resume that will appeal to your prospective employers.

In writing this important document, you must make sure that the following six essential elements are present.

The first page which contains your personal information and objective must be properly written.

The header of the page must consist of your name in bold letters, home address, contact number and e-mail address. It can use a left justification or center format. You must also write the objective of your resume which is to apply for a specific position. For instance, you must note that you wish to become a certified dental medical assistant. It must be short but concise.

You must be transparent in expressing your aim for the application which is to get the specific vacant position of the health care facility.

The Qualifications or Summary section is another essential element of the resume. You must outline your skills and abilities that will help convince the employer that you are fit for the medical assistant job.

It is recommended that you point out the equipment that you have previously used and procedures that you have done before.

Aside from your skills in the clinical setting, you can mention clerical abilities such as being adept to various computer programs.

You should not fail to include the Work History or Experience area of your certified medical assistant resume.

It would be useful to write in chronological order the institutions where you have worked as a medical assistant. You must include the span of time or dates of employment. Mention the name of the institution and address on this section. Below each work experience, you can give details about the specific tasks that you performed at the workplace.

The education that you have completed must also be present on the resume. In chronological order, you must mention the schools where you enrolled and got your medical assistant course.

The date of completing the training program or date of graduation is very important.

Moreover, you should not miss to mention your membership of certain legitimate organizations and most especially the association where you got your certification as a medical assistant. Being granted by certain associations means that you have passed their standards and you are recognized as a competent medical professional.

At the last portion of your resume, you should note down all your references.

They are the individuals who will be contacted by the prospective employer when they want to find out more about you and how you perform at work.

Mentioning three to six persons is advisable. You must write down the name, position, company where they are working, contact number and email address of the person.

These are the 6 essential elements that you must include when you want to create an appealing and perfect medical assistant resume.

Every health care facility consists of medical professionals who efficiently perform their responsibilities in providing attention to the health care needs of any individual.

Whether in delivering clinical or administrative services, they consist of competent staff which includes medical assistants. If you wish to be part of the new breed of medical assistants, you need to take the medical assistant course first.

It is a specialized medical assistant training which comprises of different areas so that no matter what health care facility you wish to work, you can do all the tasks.

Whether it is a vocational or associate degree course, it will tackle the following important areas to be able to create versatile and competent medical assistants.

First of all, the coursework would tackle on general education.

You will be taking up subjects like English, Speech and Communication, Math and Psychology. This education is fundamental in any type of degree.

They are also useful since concepts about these areas are very applicable when you work as a medical assistant.

For instance, in Psychology, you will be able to learn how to deal with the communication and interaction among individuals of different personalities at work.

Core courses are definitely included on all medical assistant programs.

The subjects are specialized on what you need to know about the medical field. You will be learning about the anatomy and physiology of the body. It is also important to be acquainted with the medical terms, ethics and laws.

The coursework will also introduce you to the different medical procedures and practices for varied areas of any health care facility. You must absorb all the concepts of these core subjects because it is what you will be dealing with when you take the path of a medical assistant.

Basic clerical courses are also introduced.

You will be taught about basic computer skills. Since it is the modern age, knowledge about how to use the computer is fundamental especially when you plan to work in the office of a physician. Aside from that you will be taking up lessons on office management and bookkeeping. You will be tasked on keeping the operations of the office running.

Clinical coursework is also one of the areas that comprise a medical assistant program.

Basic patient care will be taught such as taking the vital signs and bedside care procedures. Aside from that, you will be taught on how to anticipate the needs of a physician especially when performing certain diagnostic procedures.

For this coursework, you will be required to complete a specific number of clinical hours. Hands-on training is part of the course so that medical assistant students will hone their skills in the clinical area.

As a medical assistant, you have a vital contribution to create an effective medical team.

To become an efficient and professional worker in this kind of field, you need to take up a medical assistant course that will tackle four important areas. General education, core courses, basic clerical courses and clinical coursework are all part of a medical assistant program.

Today’s post is about that journey and motivation that pushed me to join the Medical Assistant Profession… Hopefully this rant can help you identify if Medical Assisting is also for you or not.

I just wanted to do something meaningful with my life. Graduate and make my parents proud, Pass exams and Get my Degree. Then Find a Job and settle with a Family. It’s a simple dream. I knew that by pursuing a Medical Assisting career can help me achieve those things. I have always wanted to work in an hospital setting.

I love taking care of others and being part of a healthcare team. I know we can do wonders.

I didn’t know what Medical Assisting was a few years ago. All I know was there are doctors, nurses, and other allied health care providers in a healthcare team, but I’ve never heard of Medical assistants before.

It was then that my friend Sammy, told me that Medical Assistants Are in High Demand according to the US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is great news, because I don’t want to enter a career that will be gone in the next 5 years. I want a stable career, a long term one.

Feeling very excited, I asked Sammy What Does Medical Assistants Do?

“Well…” Sammy said pausing. “Medical Assistant’s duties can be summarized into mainly two Distinct Roles: Administrative and Clinical Roles.” He elaborated the Administrative tasks of Medical Assistants As Follows:

• Knowing how to Use the Computer for Data Processing
• Greeting and Talking Calls from Patients and Doctors
• Meeting and Establishing Rapport with patients
• Completing the General Patients Records of the Client with their help of course
• Assists with the filing of insurance forms
• Making sure that schedules and appointments are right on track
• Making sure that admissions and lab exams are ready
• Some bookkeeping records

I know the feeling of searching for a new career path. Whether you are coming from High School or coming from a different course, finding the Best Medical Assistant School is as hard as choosing your next career. We all know that a school is one of the biggest foundations in building our careers. Getting it right the first time around can spell the difference between your success and failure.

There are several problems that comes to my mind when looking for a school for Medical Assistant Trainings.

1. The Level of Experience and Skills of the Teachers in that particular school and the school programme itself. – Is it a school that provides high quality education by screening prospective students and teacher? Or is it a school of mass production wherein ALL types of students are allowed to join the programme.
2. The Cost of Studying – Some of us might say that the most expensive schools are also the best Medical assistant schools, but I would not agree with that. Being expensive must not always be correlated with being the best. There are still a lot of schools where the expense is realistic and not expensive while still providing a high level of education.
3. Should I go Online or Offline? – With Today’s technologies it is possible for people to learn some of the components of Medical Assistant Trainings online. There are Several Schools that can help you with that like the University of Phoenix, which is an online education school operating for many years. Sometimes online learning is known as Distance learning and as such you might encounter those words interchangeably.

You Would need to take these types of tests just like any health care profession. You must also undergo a special training course from an authorized Medical assistant Learning School. Most probably you have already taken that course so the next thing that you need to do is to be ready and take the exam as soon as possible.

I’d like to share some tips on what you should do for your Medical Assistant Certification Exam:

Have the Correct and latest Review Material That You Would Need.

I keep journal and notes of things that I have learned. Usually you might refer to these notes in the future. Because of that it would be best if you take good care of it. Ok? Find the available materials that you can use for your review. These topics ranges from multiple topics.

Keep Browsing and Searching The Catalogues and Online

There are books, newspapers, journals and even the Internet. They are full of information about becoming a Medical Assistant. But most of them are outdated, that is why we should bring the latest info when traveling.

Create A Learning Group.

Do you have a friend that has already passed the Medical Assistant Certifications Exam? If you don’t have one yet,there are tons of groups/peers that you can choose from.

Learn, Learn, Learn

Learning never stops. You must complete Medical Assistant Certifications and Continuing education courses to remain competent and able..

Spend your Time Carefully

Learn how to rest, play and study hard. These are the recipes for success.

I hope that my article on “Medical assistant Certifications Exam” has helped and shed a lot to others.

If you searched Government websites, you will know that the Occupational Number for Medical Assistants is 31-9092. Medical Assistants are considered one of the fastest growing profession in the next decade. This is because of the increasing number of physician health clinics and aging population of baby boomers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the starting salary wage of Medical assistants fall below $15, $14.31 to be exact. And the Annual or Yearly Wage is about $29, 760.  These number came up with a very low relative standard error (RSE) which basically means that these numbers have very little room for error. Please take note that these data is dated May 2010. It has already been almost 1 year so the numbers could have changed a little bit. Nevertheless, this is the latest information from the National Government that I can find.

And Here’s the Percentile Wages in A Nice Graph:

And if you wanted to see the Percentil Wages for the ANNUAL MEDICAL Assistant Salary breakdown, check this out:

As you can see from the Graphs and information provided above, the mean annual wage of Medical Assistants are in the $28,860 range. It is not bad, considering that Medical assistants is currently not a regulated or licensed profession. You can become a Medical Assistant and learn from the job, but I would not suggest that you do that because of the competition today. And most employers would require either at least a few years experience as a Medical Assistant, A graduate of an Accredited Medical Assisting program and a person who is either a Certified Medical Assistant or Registered Medical Assistant.

There’s a lot of Medical Assistant Schools in your Area. If you need more information on accredited Medical Assistant programs, find the nearest learning facility near your area by entering your ZIP code below this article. There are no fees collected when requesting for information.

Now, let me share with you some of the industries where Medical Assistants are mostly employed.

According to the BLS website, the Highest recorded Industry that hires medical assistants is in the OFFICES of PHYSICIANS.  There is about 13.95% of people employed within Physician Offices. Their hourly salary rate is not bad at $14.48 with a higher than National Average Annual Mean wage of about $30,110.

The reason for this is that most likely physicians are getting more patients and are now requiring extra help without hiring another nurse. A nurse would be overqualified to do administrative work, and the Medical Assistants would be the perfect solution for their problem.

But most Physicians hire Medical Assistant that have the proper credentials and certification. Also if you have more experience and education you can probably negotiate for a higher wage because it would help you justify that you are better equipped for the job and less training and hand holding will be done.

At a huge margin with the OFFICES of PHYSICIANS,  the next industry that employs Med Assistants is the GENERAL MEDICAL and SURGICAL Hospitals. Yes, these big hospitals hire Medical Assistants too. Most likely they would be placed in the Ambulatory or Out Patient Department because those areas are fast paced and a helping hand would be deeply appreciated.

About 1.27% of Medical Assistants are Hired in this Industry. It’s a small number probably because most Hospitals have Nurses, Nursing Aides and other Ancillary Personnel which makes the work of Medical Assistants redundant.

The next huge percentage of Medical Assistants go to OFFICES of OTHER HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. This could include Ambulatory Surgery Centers or ASC, Dental Clinics, etc. The percentage of people in this Industry is about 8.06%.  But the mean hourly wage is only $12.90. It is lower compared with other Industries. This could be because of the different work conditions in this industry.