Become A Medical Assistant

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Working As A Medical Assistant

Assisting and Caring for Others
Documenting/Recording Information
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Interacting With Computers

Deal with People
Unpleasant/Angry People
Unpleasant/Hazardous Environment
Repetitive
$30,152
Average Salary

What Does A Medical Assistant Do

Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Their duties vary with the location, specialty, and size of the practice.

Duties

Medical assistants typically do the following:

Record patient history and personal information
Measure vital signs, such as blood pressure
Help the physician with patient examinations
Give patients injections or medications as directed by the physician and as permitted by state law
Schedule patient appointments
Prepare blood samples for laboratory tests
Enter patient information into medical records

Medical assistants take and record patients’ personal information. They must be able to keep that information confidential and discuss it only with other medical personnel who are involved in treating the patient.

Electronic health records (EHRs) are changing some medical assistants’ jobs. More and more physicians are adopting EHRs, moving all their patient information from paper to electronic records. Assistants need to learn the EHR software that their office uses.

Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under a physician’s supervision.

In larger practices or hospitals, medical assistants may specialize in either administrative or clinical work.

Administrative medical assistants often fill out insurance forms or code patients’ medical information. They often answer telephones and schedule patient appointments.

Clinical medical assistants have different duties, depending on the state where they work. They may do basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They may have additional responsibilities, such as instructing patients about medication or special diets, preparing patients for x rays, removing stitches, drawing blood, or changing dressings.

Some medical assistants specialize according to the type of medical office where they work. The following are examples of specialized medical assistants:

Ophthalmic medical assistants and optometric assistants help ophthalmologists and optometrists, respectively, provide eye care. They show patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses. Ophthalmic medical assistants also may help an ophthalmologist in surgery.

Podiatric medical assistants work closely with podiatrists (foot doctors). They may make castings of feet, expose and develop x rays, and help podiatrists in surgery.

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How To Become A Medical Assistant

Most medical assistants have postsecondary education such as a certificate. Others enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training.

Education

Medical assistants typically graduate from postsecondary education programs. Although there are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant in most states, employers may prefer to hire assistants who have completed these programs.

Programs for medical assisting are available from community colleges, vocational schools, technical schools, and universities and take about 1 year to complete. These programs usually lead to a certificate or diploma. Some community colleges offer 2-year programs that lead to an associate’s degree. All programs have classroom and laboratory portions that include lessons in anatomy and medical terminology.

Some medical assistants have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn their duties on the job. High school students interested in a career as a medical assistant should take courses in biology, chemistry, and anatomy.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Medical assistants must be able to understand and follow medical charts and diagnoses. They may be required to code a patient’s medical records for billing purposes.

Detail oriented. Medical assistants need to be precise when taking vital signs or recording patient information. Physicians and insurance companies rely on accurate records.

Interpersonal skills. Medical assistants need to be able to discuss patient information with other medical personnel, such as physicians. They often interact with patients who may be in pain or in distress, so they need to be able to act in a calm and professional manner.

Technical skills. Medical assistants should be able to use basic clinical instruments so they can take a patient’s vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Training

Medical assistants who do not have postsecondary education learn their skills through on-the-job training. Physicians or other medical assistants may teach a new assistant medical terminology, the names of the instruments, how to do daily tasks, how to interact with patients, and other tasks that help keep an office running smoothly. Medical assistants also learn how to code both paper and electronic health records (EHRs) and how to record patient information. It can take several months for an assistant to complete training, depending on the facility.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Medical assistants are not required to be certified in most states. However, employers prefer to hire certified assistants.

Several organizations offer certification. An applicant must pass an exam and have taken one of several routes to be eligible for each certification. These routes include graduation from an accredited program and work experience, among others. In most cases, an applicant must be at least 18 years old before applying for certification.

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies, part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, accredits five certifications for medical assistants:

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) from the American Association of Medical Assistants
Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from American Medical Technologists
National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) from the National Center for Competency Testing
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the National Healthcareer Association
Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) from the National Healthcareer Association

Some states may require assistants to graduate from an accredited program, pass an exam, or both, in order to practice. Contact the state board of medicine for more information.

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Medical Assistant jobs

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Medical Assistant Career Paths

Medical Assistant

Security Officer Night Auditor Front Desk Supervisor

Assistant General Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Front Desk Coordinator Office Manager

Business Office Manager

8 Yearsyrs

Licensed Practical Nurse Staff Nurse Case Manager

Career Manager

6 Yearsyrs

Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist Phlebotomist Laboratory Technician

Laboratory Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Medic Pharmacist Medical Science Liaison

Medical Manager

6 Yearsyrs

Office Manager Practice Manager

Practice Administrator

10 Yearsyrs

Medical Records Clerk Office Manager

Practice Manager

9 Yearsyrs

Average Length of Employment

Certified Medical Transcriptionist 4.4 years
Office Manager/Medical Assistant 4.3 years
Senior Medical Assistant 4.0 years
Medical Assistant/Biller 3.6 years
Registered Medical Assistant 3.5 years
Lead Medical Assistant 3.3 years
Medical Assistant 3.0 years
Medical Laboratory Assistant 3.0 years
Assistant-At-Surgery 2.9 years
Medical Administrator 2.8 years
Assistant Laboratory Technician 2.8 years
Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist 2.8 years
Medical Office Administrator 2.7 years
Medical Office Assistant 2.6 years
Clinical Medical Assistant 2.6 years
Medical Doctor MD 2.4 years
Medical Office Administrative Assistant 2.4 years
Clinical Assistant 2.3 years
Doctor Assistant 2.3 years
Medical Assisting Instructor 2.3 years
Medical Research Assistant 2.2 years
Medical Record Assistant 2.1 years
Student Medical Assistant 1.1 years
Student Medical Assistant-Externship 0.8 years
Medical Internship 0.7 years
Medical Assistant Externship 0.5 years
Medical Assisting Extern 0.4 years

Top Careers Before Medical Assistant

Top Careers After Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant Demographics

Gender

Female
87.8%
Male
10.1%
Unknown
2.2%

Ethnicity

White
73.6%
Hispanic or Latino
18.0%
Asian
6.3%
Unknown
1.5%
Black or African American
0.5%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
76.0%
French
4.0%
Portuguese
2.1%
Hindi
1.8%
Arabic
1.7%
Russian
1.6%
Tagalog
1.5%
German
1.3%
Chinese
1.3%
Mandarin
1.3%
Italian
1.1%
Cantonese
1.1%
Vietnamese
0.9%
Urdu
0.8%
Korean
0.7%
Polish
0.7%
Hmong
0.6%
Swedish
0.5%
Japanese
0.5%
Gujarati
0.4%

Medical Assistant

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Medical Assistant Education

Schools

Everest Institute
14.8%
University of Phoenix
11.9%
Remington College
9.6%
Kaplan University
8.2%
Ross Medical Education Center
6.6%
Concorde Career College
5.5%
San Joaquin Valley College
4.6%
Keiser University
4.2%
ECPI University
4.1%
Branford Hall Career Institute - Branford Campus
3.6%
Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater
3.2%
Heald College - Central Administrative Office
3.1%
Ashford University
3.0%
Grand Canyon University
2.9%
Bryant and Stratton College
2.7%
Charter College
2.7%
Rasmussen College
2.5%
Texas School of Business
2.4%
All American Career College
2.4%
South University
2.2%

Majors

Medical Assisting Services 53.6%
Nursing 13.1%
Health Care Administration 6.7%
Business 5.4%
Nursing Assistants 2.8%
Medical Technician 2.7%
Psychology 2.1%
General Studies 1.6%
Biology 1.6%
Health Sciences And Services 1.4%
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs 1.4%
Criminal Justice 1.2%
Management 1.1%
Education 1.0%
Liberal Arts 0.9%
Pharmacy 0.7%
Public Health 0.7%
Medicine 0.7%
Physician Assistant 0.7%
Clinical Psychology 0.6%

Degrees

Other
39.4%
Associate
18.7%
Certificate
13.1%
Bachelors
12.7%
Diploma
10.3%
Masters
4.1%
License
1.1%
Doctorate
0.6%

Medical Assistant

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Real Medical Assistant Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Medical Assistant	Salartash Surgical Association	Egg Harbor, NJ	Dec 28, 2009	$65,000
Medical Assistant	Salartash Surgical Association	Egg Harbor, NJ	Dec 30, 2009	$65,000
Osteopathic Medical Assistant	Mona Mofid, M.D., APC	San Diego, CA	Mar 20, 2015	$60,341
Instructor, Medical Assistants	Healthcare Training Institute	Union, NJ	May 14, 2010	$56,850
Instructor, Medical Assistants	Healthcare Training Institute Inc.	Union, NJ	May 14, 2010	$56,850
Instructor, Medical Assistants	Healthcare Training Institute	Union, NJ	Aug 12, 2009	$48,314
Medical Assistants	DR. Sang E. Kim Chiropractic	Sunnyvale, CA	Jan 17, 2014	$42,500
Medical Assistants	DR. Sang E. Kim Chiropractic	Sunnyvale, CA	Sep 19, 2011	$42,411
Enhanced Specialty Medical Assistant	Nova Surgicare, PC	McLean, VA	Oct 30, 2011	$41,740
Medical Assistants	Margaret EKA Akpan, Md	Cheverly, MD	Dec 05, 2013	$40,000
Medical Assistant	Metro Dermatology of Ny, PC	NY	Jul 02, 2015	$38,563
Medical Assistant (Chiropractic)	DR. James Santiago	Newark, NJ	Sep 13, 2016	$38,501
Medical Assistant	Family Medical Care	Anaheim, CA	Feb 22, 2011	$32,098
Medical Assistant	Alzheimer Disease Center	Winchester, MA	Jan 05, 2016	$32,000
Medical Assistant	Ohr, Inc.	Kennesaw, GA	Feb 15, 2008	$32,000
Medical Assistant	Ohr, Inc.	Kennesaw, GA	Aug 05, 2008	$32,000
Medical Assistant	RIRA Chiropractic Dc	Plano, TX	Sep 11, 2015	$32,000
Medical Assistant	Pavilion Neurology Medical Group, Inc.	Orange, CA	Jan 07, 2011	$31,990
Medical Assistant	Mark J. Rodrigues, Md	Orange, CA	May 27, 2011	$31,990
Medical Assistant	SM Chiropractic & Pain Clinic P.C.	Fort Lee, NJ	Apr 28, 2009	$31,827
Medical Assistants	LOPA Y.Gupta	White Plains, NY	Aug 14, 2008	$27,736
Medical Assistants	Eduardo L. Pignanelli Phy P.C.	New York, NY	Sep 23, 2008	$27,736
Medical Assistants	Procare Medical Services, P.C.	NY	Jan 27, 2010	$27,736
Medical Assistant	IBN Sina Foundation	Houston, TX	Jul 02, 2012	$27,685
Medical Assistants	F&M Radiology Medical Center Inc.	CA	Jun 05, 2008	$27,653
Medical Assistant	Hippocratus Medical PC	New York, NY	Jun 04, 2009	$27,643
Medical Assistants	Klein and Birns, P.L.L.C.	New York, NY	Feb 26, 2010	$27,643
Medical Assistant (Research)	OSF Saint Francis, Inc.	Peoria, IL	Jul 20, 2010	$27,548

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Top Skills for A Medical Assistant

Top Medical Assistant Skills

Vital Signs
EKG
Laboratory Specimens

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Maintained accurate records of patient care, condition, progress and concerns.Monitored vital signs, such as blood pressure and pulse.
Updated patient information including weight/height, temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and EKGs and prepared patients for therapy injections.
Collected and prepared laboratory specimens.
Interviewed patients, measured vital signs, and recorded information in patient's electronic medical records.
Keep exam rooms stocked with adequate medical supplies, maintain instruments, prepare sterilization as required.