Medical assistants provide important support for physicians and patients. Through greeting patients, keeping files organized and documenting medical histories, medical assistants often set the tone for a patient’s first impression of a medical practice. For professionals interested in a career in medicine and who enjoy working directly with people in a variety of situations, medical assistant training can be a great entrance into a rewarding career.
Certification requirements for the field differ from state to state, but in general, people can enter the profession with a high school diploma and on-the-job-training. A number of two-year degree programs exist which provide standardized training and also culminate with an Associate of Arts degree. No matter which educational path an aspiring medical assistant chooses, there are growing opportunities in a wide variety of medical settings.
In this growing field, interpersonal skills are a must. In addition to medical knowledge, medical assistants need to keep in mind that they truly are the friendly face of the front office experience for patients. If patients are nervous, a skilled medical assistant can help put them at ease during the intake process. This in turn makes the physician’s job easier and allows the patient to feel more at ease when communicating the problems at hand.
Medical assistants handle a wide variety of office duties and as a result also need to have strong technical skills, solid analytical thinking ability and be detail-oriented. In addition to working with patients at the intake process, they are also often the ones that go over the doctor’s directions to answer any questions before the patient leaves. Medical assistants frame the patient’s entire experience at the office. In fact, the interaction with a medical assistant can be the reason why a patient takes the doctor’s orders seriously or chooses to refer the practice to friends.
In today’s busy medical settings, medical assistants wear many hats and perform a myriad of essential duties necessary to keep the practice running like a well-oiled machine. From working directly with patients, to stocking examining rooms with supplies, to filing charts and coding for insurance documentation, medical assistants play a vital role in providing a positive experience for patients and their families across diverse medical settings.
