Is Medical Assisting For You?
Are you looking for a meaningful job?
Do you like helping others?
Do you have an interest in health and medicine?
Are you a "people person"?
Are you good at multitasking - switching tasks throughout the
workday?
Do you like variety in your job?
Would you like to enter a career in an expanding field?
If you answered "yes" to five or more of these questions, then medical assisting might be the right career choice for you.
Medical assistants enjoy an exciting, challenging career that is essential to patient care in medical offices and clinics.
Medical assistants are in demand!
Medical assisting is one of the nation's fastest growing careers through 2012, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This can be attributed to a predicted surge in the number of physicians' offices and outpatient care facilities. Technological advancements and the growing number of elderly Americans who need medical treatment are also factors for the increased demand for medical assistants.
So... what do medical assistants actually do?
Medical assistants have a great amount of variety in their jobs and are cross-trained to perform many administrative and clinical duties. Of course, duties vary from office to office depending on location, size and specialty.
Administrative duties may include...
- Using computer applications
- Answering telephones
- Greeting patients
- Updating and filing patient medical records
- Coding and filling out insurance forms
- Scheduling appointments
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- Handling correspondence, billing and bookkeeping
Clinical duties vary by state and include...
- Taking medical histories
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Preparing patients for examination
- Assisting the physician during the exam
- Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
- Performing basic laboratory tests
- Instructing patients about medication and special diets
- Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
- Authorizing prescription refills as directed
- Drawing blood
- Taking electrocardiograms
- Removing sutures and changing dressings
Medical assistants are caring
Medical assistants give health care a human touch, helping patients to feel at ease in the doctor's office and to understand physicians' instructions. If you have good communications skills and are often appreciated for your caring manner, then you might be well suited for a career in medical assisting.
The CMA (AAMA): The gold standard of professionalism
The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) offers a certification program to medical assistants who have graduated from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). The CMA (AAMA) represents a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) who has been credentialed through the AAMA.
Find out how you can achieve the CMA (AAMA) credential.
| 
