Medical Assistants

Medical assistants, also known as a “clinical assistants” or healthcare assistants, are an allied health professionals who support the work of physicians, physician assistants and other health professionals, usually in a clinical setting.

What do Medical Assistants do?

Medical Assistants (MA) perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

Medical Assistants Basic Qualifications

As a medical assistant, you may perform primarily office tasks, mostly clinical tasks, or a mixture of both. Here are a few of the most common skills:

• Good communication skills
• Medical knowledge
• Knowledge of safety and sanitation
• Computer skills
• Customer service skills

Benefits of Medical Assistant’s Career Advancements

Gaining the Benefits of medical assistant’s career advancements take quite a bit of time, energy, and determination to become a medical assistant. The career path is fairly short however it involves a lot of studying and practical experience. The benefits of embarking on a medical assistant career are varied but can enrich one’s life significantly. Here are some of the most notable ones:

• Financial Benefits: Medical assistant career is a fast track start to a financially stable life. Medical assistants earn substantially more than their peers in the retail, manufacturing and other service industry professions. In addition, as you add to your educational credentials and your practical experience, you will be rewarded with more responsibility and a salary boost with your expertise.
• Personal Enrichment: Most people – no matter where they start in the medical field– enter it to help people to some degree. In fact, being a medical assistant can be as personally rewarding in this regard as it is for a heart surgeon. In many cases, it is even more so as a medical assistant has far more daily contact with patients than a surgeon does.
• Esteem of Your Co-workers: Being a medical assistant takes a special kind of person. There are all sorts of unpalatable tasks that must be undertaken and accomplished. Still the best medical assistants will garner the respect of not only their peers but also of the nurses and doctors that they serve with. The prestige that comes from being able to handle various patient populations can change an entry-level medical assistant into a must-hire advanced candidate.
• Better Job Security: Advancing past the entry-level stages of a medical assistant position is also extremely valuable as it increases your value to the healthcare organization. Lower-level positions are far more likely to be eliminated in a down market. Similarly, more knowledgeable employees will almost always be retained over less educated ones.

Medical Assistant’s Career Advancements Opportunities

Medical assistants may find career advancement opportunities in many areas:

• Clinical team leader
• Lead medical assistant
• Medical office manager
• Clinical office manager
• Medical assistant instructor
• Medical records manager
• Healthcare administration
• Executive medical office secretary

Different Career Specialties in Medical Assisting Advancements

Choosing a specialty can be a wise choice for future career advancement opportunities. Some medical specialties require more knowledge and skills than others and may offer opportunities for better pay and extended responsibilities. Here is a peek at a few specialties that medical assistants commonly work in:

• Clinical Specialties:
• Podiatry: Podiatry is a medical area that focuses on injuries and medical conditions of the foot.
• EKG/Cardiology Technician: EKG focuses on diseases and conditions of the heart and cardiovascular system.
• Ophthalmology: Ophthalmology medical assistants provide a wide range of duties in caring for the eyes.
• Administrative Specialties:
• Medical Billing and Coding: Medical billers and coders are responsible for handling charge sheets and submitting them to insurance companies for reimbursement.
• Medical Administrative Assistant: Medical administrative assistants work closely with the management team, or administrator of, a hospital or medical facility.