Learn About Your Medical Assisting Career
Do you like the idea of playing an important role in a healthcare facility? Do you want to perform both administrative and clinical tasks? You're in luck! As a medical assistant, you can have a rewarding and challenging career and be a vital part of a healthcare team! With the right amount of theoretical and practical training, you'll be ready to work in any healthcare setting.
What is a Medical Assistant?
As a medical assistant, you will perform administrative and clinical duties under the direction of physician. You will be responsible for keeping the medical office or facility running in a smooth manner. Your duties may vary depending on the state where you are located, but typical duties of a medical assistant include:- Medical Administrative Assistant Duties (front office) scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing and coding for insurance purposes, preparing correspondence, managing finances, and more.
- Clinical Medical Assistant Duties (back office) taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood and administering medications as directed by the physician, discussing prescriptions and nutrition with patients, and more.
Due to their large scope of knowledge, medical assistants are valuable members of every healthcare team. They keep an office or facility on track and ensure that patient needs are met each and every day.
What is the Career Outlook in Medical Assisting?
There's great news the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ranks medical assisting as one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2008-18 decade. Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 34 percent from 2008 to 2018. As the healthcare industry grows due to advances in medicine and an aging population, there will be a greater need for medical assistants. Job prospects are expected to be "excellent," especially for certified professionals.
What is the Salary Potential?
The earning potential of a medical assistant will vary depending on your level of experience, skill level and geographic location. According to the BLS, the highest 10 percent of medical assistants earned more than $39,570 in 2008. With opportunities in general medical and surgical hospitals, medical offices, outpatient care centers, and much more, you will experience an abundance to build your ideal career!
What are the Career Options?
Whether you pursue a career as a clinical medical assistant or work in the medical administrative assistant field, there are an abundance of opportunities available to you. Consider these careers: specialty medical assistant (ophthalmic, orthopedic, chiropractic), EKG technician, medical records technician, surgical supply technician, home health aide, medical research assistant, emergency room registrar, health unit coordinator, and much more.
- Medical Administrative Assistant Career (front office) – As an administrative assistant, you can play a key role in an office capacity and keep operations running in a smooth manner – from managing records to performing billing tasks!
- Clinical Medical Assistant Career (back office) As a medical assistant, you can have a rewarding and challenging career and be a vital part of a healthcare team! Plus, with the right training, you'll be ready to work in any number of healthcare settings.
Want to learn more? Give us a call at (888) 822-2923 to find out about the medical assisting career or start your career training. We're here to help!
Medical Assisting Blog 
