Guide to Medical Assisting career paths
Industry info, training requirements, and employment outlook for medical assistant students
Medical assistants, also known as “clinical assistants,” are the healthcare professionals who help keep hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics running smoothly. They complete a variety of administrative and clinical tasks under the direction of physicians and other medical personnel. Their duties vary a little bit depending on the setting that they work in, but the core of what they do is generally the same everywhere.
Educational requirements:
In most states, there are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant. However, most individuals become medical assistants through post-secondary education. They attend a medical training program and obtain a certificate that lets them practice in the field. Others go into the field with a high school diploma and they receive on-the-job training. During this training, they are mentored by physicians and other medical assistants. The employer-based training varies in length, and some organizations may train individuals themselves, while others may send them somewhere else to get the training.
Training:
The training may vary a little bit depending on the setting and whether an individual chooses to get certified by going to school or on the job. The skills learned will generally be applicable in any setting that they choose to work in, though. During training, they will learn medical terminology, the names of different instruments, how to interact with patients, how to record patient information, a little bit of medical billing, and any other task that they may need to perform for the job.
Duties of a medical assistant:
Medical assistants have a very diverse skill set. They learn both patient care duties and office duties. There are also some medical assistants who specialize in certain things, and then they may typically have more duties. For example, some may assist in surgery, develop x-rays, measure and record vision, administer medication, etc. They also perform a lot of routine administrative tasks to help keep the office running smoothly. This is especially the case if they work in a smaller clinic. Sometimes a medical assistant will take on both the administrative and clinical duties. On the flip side, those who work in bigger practices are managed by department supervisors, and these are the medical assistants that tend to specialize in a particular area.
Here are some duties that medical assistants may be responsible for:
Administrative duties:- Greeting patients
- Answering phones
- Updating medical records
- Filling out insurance forms
- cheduling patient appointments
- Coding and filling out insurance claims
- Bookkeeping and billing
- Preparing exam rooms
- Taking medical histories
- Preparing patients for x-rays
- Recording patient vital signs
- Giving patients injections
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients or families
- Conducting lab tests
- Drawing blood
- Taking electrocardiograms
Important qualities of a medical assistant:
There are certain qualities that make a good medical assistant. Before entering the field, it’s really important to learn more about these qualities, and the occupation in general, to see if this would be a good career choice for you. Trying to embody these qualities while working in the field will help you become more successful in creating trusting and long-lasting relationships.
Adaptable
As a practicing medical assistant, you need to be adaptable. You will be working with all demographics and types of people. The medical care that each patient needs will vary as well. A medical assistant needs to be prepared to take on new tasks and patients at all times. They will also be working alone at times, so part of being adaptable means being a good problem solver and knowing how to navigate certain situations. When problems arise, medical assistants need to react fast and easily move from one task to another.
Passionate
Having a genuine passion and desire to help others in need is essentially what will keep you interested in the job long-term. Being a medical assistant is hard work at times. It requires a lot of dedication, so actually having an interest in what you are doing will help you sustain that dedication. Many medical assistants go into the field because they genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of others.
Empathetic
Being empathetic is a quality that never goes out of style—it comes in handy no matter what the job is. It is especially useful and necessary when working in the medical field, though. Healthcare professionals are working with patients who are sometimes going through distress. Patients need their care team to be empathetic and understanding. Having empathy for patients and making them comfortable will also make the healthcare team’s job easier.
Detail-oriented
Medical assistants need to be really detail-oriented. They work with a lot of data and it’s essential that they’re knowledgeable in their field and that they create a good system for themselves. They will be taking orders from physicians, so being able to follow directions is crucial.
Good communicator
Being able to communicate medical terminology into verbiage that patients can understand is really important. When a doctor tells a medical assistant to report something to the patient, the medical assistant must understand what the doctor is saying, but they must also know how to communicate that to their patient. Moreover, when they are with the patient, they must know how to talk to them in a professional manner and walk them through what they are doing. This way the patient can feel more at ease.
Where they work:
The most common place to find medical assistants is in hospitals; however, they work in many other places as well. Some of those places include:
- Emergency departments
- Retirement homes
- Chiropractic offices
- Medical research centers
- Ophthalmology offices
- Cardiology offices
- Sports facilities
- Laboratories
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools
Work environment:
Medical assistants work in a variety of settings. Regardless of the setting, though, they will always work indoors.
As for their work schedules, some work part time, but most work full time with a set schedule. Depending on the medical facility that they are working in, some medical assistants may also work evenings, weekends, and holidays to help cover shifts.
Moreover, medical assistants are constantly interacting with people. They work near others as they are in constant physical contact with patients. Because of this, they are often at risk for being exposed to disease and infection. To protect themselves, they wear safety attire, such as masks, gloves, glasses, etc.
Being adaptable is a really important trait to have for this job because medical assistants are often responsible for the health and safety of their patients. They will also sometimes be put in situations where conflict is present. Medical assistants have to be professional and calm no matter the situation.
Pay:
The salary for medical assistants varies and is dependent on several factors. Some of the key factors include location, years of experience, and skill level. The more education, credential, and experience an individual has, the more their pay increases. In addition, the medical facility that a medical assistant chooses to work at may also impact their salary.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for medical assistants was $34,800 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent of medical assistants earned less than $25,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,7201
Job outlook:
The job outlook for medical assistants is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. On average, it is projected to grow approximately 19% from 2019 to 2029. This is much faster than the average for most occupations. The significant growth is attributed to the increase in baby boomers retiring and needing medical treatment, technological advancements, and the increase in the number of physicians’ offices and outpatient facilities.
1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics