A medical assistant or healthcare clinical assistant supports physicians and other professionals in a clinic setting. Through programs, such as what we offer here at Idaho Medical Academy, medical assistants can become certified. Learn what it takes to become a medical assistant and if it’s right for you.
Responsibilities and Tasks
A medical assistant does many tasks and is responsible for performing tests, measuring vital signs, greeting patients, and scheduling appointments. They’re crucial members of a health care team. Medical assistants work in physician’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, emergency rooms, and clinics and often requires a high school diploma and a certificate from a medical assisting program, such as Idaho Medical Academy.
A typical day being in medical assisting is never dull. As a medical assistant, your main job is ensuring the work environment runs smoothly and providing patient services and care. Because your skills are highly versatile, you become a valuable asset to doctors and nurses. Duties of medical assistants include:
- Answering phones
- Setting up an EKG machine
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Stocking supplies
- Using computer applications
- Coding and filling out insurance forms
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- Handling billing, bookkeeping, and correspondence
- Injections
- Assisting physicians
- Phlebotomy, and more
If you love a fast-paced environment centered around helping people, continue reading.
What it Takes
Medical assisting is in high demand and one of the nation’s fastest-growing careers in the medical field and growing much faster than for all other occupations, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. First, to clear up a misconception, some people may have, and that is, medical assistants have a license, which they do not. They do have a certification or registration, depending on where you live.
With a medical assisting program, it can take anywhere from 8-24 months, depending on your preferences, but with our courses, you can receive a certificate in as little as eight months. A typical course will include how many clinical hours you need, course materials, tests, and the like to ensure you have everything you need to succeed.
Job Outlook
From a projected growth of nearly 25% in 2018, medical assisting will continue to grow, particularly with an increasingly aging baby-boom population. The annual wage for medical assistants tops out at $47,000 for the highest 10 percent with a median yearly salary of about $33,000; outpatient care centers net approximately $35,000.
Are You Ready?
Medical assisting is an exciting field to grow in, with the possibility of career advancement. Your skills will help you grow and can lead to different paths to further your career. For instance, if you enjoy working with information and record-keeping, you may excel as a health information technician; you can also move up to becoming a nurse or physician’s assistant or PA, which has added benefits. You can also transition to pediatrics and geriatrics or a variety of other medical fields.The best thing is that this is a national test, so wherever you go, it goes with you.
If you’re ready to take the next step, please contact Idaho Medical Academy. We can get you started by answering your questions and providing more information. Our excellent staff wants you to succeed, so contact us today!
