What is a Medical Office Assistant?

Medical Office Assistant

In today’s economy, many people find themselves looking for new careers. While factories are closing and businesses are reducing the number of staff they employ, the healthcare field has continued to grow, with an increasing need for new workers. Among the many categories of healthcare workers, medical assistants are in high demand. They are employed by doctor’s offices, medical centers, specialty clinics, insurance companies, medical transcription agencies, labs and emergency rooms.

 

What is a Medical Assistant?

A medical assistant is trained to perform many different duties. Among them is patient care, administrative tasks and clinical tasks. Their main function is to support the work of medical doctors or other healthcare professionals. Properly trained medical assistants can check a patient’s vital signs, administer medications, record information for a patient’s medical records and collect specimens for laboratory testing when necessary.

Education In order to become a medical assistant, formal training is required. This training can be obtained from vocational schools, technical institutes, community colleges, specialty schools or online programs. Institutions which provide training should be accredited through one of two programs: the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. By obtaining accreditation through one of these programs, schools are guaranteeing that their medical assistant program meets specific educational standards. Most programs are designed to be completed within two years for students who are enrolled full time.

Students who are enrolled part time may take longer to complete the courses and earn their degree. Courses in pharmacology, anatomy and physiology and medical lab procedures are common among accredited schools which offer medical assistant training. Many schools also offer externships for students to help provide on-the-job application of the skills they’ve learned. Upon completion of their schooling, medical assistant program graduates can take the National Certification Examination to become a Certified Medical Assistant.

While some employers do not require certification, those who earn it will have more job opportunities and earn higher salaries than those who do not have it. According to the American Association of Medical Assistants, medical assistants with 0-2 years of experience earn on average $12.88 per hour. Those with 16 or more years of experience can expect to earn an annual salary of $36,000. Salary varies depending on location within the United States.

 

Meet a Medical Assistant

Marsha Cridge, of Pittsburgh, Pa., always wanted to work in the medical field. After years of working in other jobs, she decided to take the plunge and go for medical assistant training. She chose to focus on medical billing. “I did not want to work with the public, so I figured the billing would be behind the scenes,” she said. She received her training at the Career Training Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. It took her 13 months to complete her training. Upon completion of the program, she participated in an externship at a local chiropractic office to hone her skills – where she now works five days a week as a regular employee.

Ms. Cridge said for the quality of education she received, it was well worth the time and money she put into her training. She said medical billing is the perfect job for someone interested in the medical field, but who wants to work “behind the scenes.” When asked what she likes best about her job, Ms. Cridge said “everything, because I waited 27 years for a medical job. I love my job.”

Article by Shari Berg, SmartSchoolFinder.com