Many young & bright students are interested in joining the healthcare industry. If you are one of them and don’t want to wait for long to start your career, the role of a medical assistant can be just perfect. In many states, there are no specific mandatory requirements to work as a medical assistant, but employees usually prefer those who have completed postsecondary education programs. If you check for colleges and Medical Assisting Programs in Phoenix, you will find a bunch of choices, but before taking the call, here are some things worth knowing.
The career ahead
There is a projected increase in demand for medical & nursing assistants in the US. Working as a medical assistant, you are responsible for directly working with physicians and patients, and you can start working right after completing your course. Diploma courses have a duration of one year, while advanced courses can span to two years. As you gain more experience, you can choose to take up senior admin roles in nursing homes, medical clinics, hospitals, and physician’s offices, or can even study further to become a registered nurse.
The actual role
Most medical assistants have to do clinical and admin tasks at clinics. They may help patients with preparing for the appointment, take vital signs, add, create & update medical records, review and order inventory, handle referrals, schedule & manage patient appointments, and prep blood samples to be sent for testing. Many medical assistants may also help doctors in small procedures and surgeries. As you may have guessed, this is a role that requires compassion, understanding of basic medical treatments, health conditions, and an ability to work directly with people.
The benefits
Besides the fact that medical assistants are always in demand, there are several other perks of this job. Firstly, you get to earn a good salary early on, although in some states, the need and salaries of medical assistants are higher than average. New York is a good example. Secondly, the healthcare industry is hardly affected by economic slowdown and other concerns. You may also have the choice to progress further in your career and work as a registered nurse.
Final word
There is no denying that becoming a medical assistant can be a great career decision, but keep in mind that the work demands attention and empathy. You have to be good in how you care for people and handle admin and clinical tasks.