If you are looking for a healthcare career that is in high demand, and translates well to individuals with good personality traits and an attention to detail, then a job as a medical assistant might be right for you.
Medical assistants play an important role in today’s healthcare industry, often serving as the first person patients meet when they come to a physician’s office. They typically work directly with patients, taking vital signs, drawing blood, assisting doctors during patient exams and administering injections. They also complete administrative work, from scheduling patient appointments to preparing medical histories. Some duties may vary depending on office location, specialty and size of the practice.
This career typically fits among people with strong analytical and interpersonal skills. Medical assistants must be able to understand medical charts and may be required to code a patient’s medical records for billing purposes. They must be comfortable discussing patient information with physicians and interacting with patients who may be in pain or distress.
Medical assistants should also have technical skills and have a keen attention to detail, as much of their job involves precision. They must know how to use clinical instruments when taking vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure, and results must be exact for doctors to give a diagnosis.
While medical assistants can enter the field with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training, most graduate from post-secondary education programs. Medical assisting programs are available through community colleges, vocational schools, technical schools and universities and usually take approximately one year to complete.
Programs have classroom and laboratory components with lessons in anatomy and medical terminology and typically lead to a certificate or diploma. Some community colleges also offer two-year, associate’s degree programs.
Most states have no educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant, but many employers mandate they are certified through the American Association of Medical Assistants. The AAMA offers certification to graduates of medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
On average, medical assistants earn $29,370 a year, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the demand for medical assistants is steadily growing. The BLS projected a 29% growth rate for the profession through 2022, significantly faster than the national average growth rate for all other occupations.
An estimated 162,900 medical assistant jobs is expected to be created through 2022, thanks to the aging Baby Boomer population needing more health services. As medical practices grow, physicians will hire more assistants to perform administrative and medical duties so they can better attend to more patients and improve quality care.
