You may not know it, but you’ve likely had many interactions with medical assistants over the course of your life. Medical assistants work alongside doctors and nurses in a variety of healthcare settings. From doctors’ offices to immediate care clinics and hospitals, medical assistants play important roles in making sure healthcare facilities run smoothly. These are six things you didn’t know about medical assistants.
Jack-of-all-trades
Medical assistants are among the most versatile healthcare workers. They are trained to perform both administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and maintaining patient records, and patient care-related duties, like taking blood pressure and helping doctors with patient exams. A medical assistant’s specific responsibilities depend on the size of the practice and the needs of the doctors and the facility. In some cases, medical assistants may be permitted to administer medication. In all cases, medical assistants help run the office.
Different medical assisting specialties
A medical assistant’s job will be different depending on the kind of practice in which they work. For example, a podiatric medical assistant is likely to take molds of feet, which may then be used to create custom orthotics. A medical assistant who works with an oncologist would likely perform tasks associated with treating cancer. In a more general sense, some medical assisting roles are more focused on the administrative side, while others primarily handle clinical tasks. Becoming a medical assistant presents you opportunities to work in different settings and discover what kind of medical assisting you like best.
Constantly changing
As with other jobs in the healthcare industry, the roles and responsibilities of medical assistants are always changing. For example, electronic health records (EHRs) are getting closer to becoming universal, meaning medical assistants will have to stay up-to-date on how to properly maintain patient data. There are likely other medical innovations in the pipeline that will also affect medical assisting in the near future. There are also changes that come with starting a new job, perhaps in a different specialization or a facility with different needs from the position. Adaptability is important as a medical assistant.
Fast-growing profession
The healthcare industry is booming, and is anticipated to continue growing in the near future. Medical assisting is among the fastest-growing professions in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the number of medical assistant jobs will increase 29 percent through 2026, compared to 2016’s total. This is due in part to the increased need for healthcare services, preventative and otherwise, among baby boomers. This need has resulted in more healthcare facilities that treat the ailments associated with aging.
There’s a professional association
The American Association of Medical Assistants provides resources to individuals in the medical assisting profession. Such resources include networking, legal protection and more. They also administer a certification exam (RMA) that can help you be more marketable in the eyes of employers. There are other bodies that offer different certification credentials, and many employers prefer to hire certified medical assistants.
Other educational opportunities
Working as a medical assistant can provide a sturdy foundation for your career in the healthcare industry. Much of what you learn in a medical assistant training program or working in a practice can help you should you choose to go back to school to pursue a degree for a higher position in healthcare, such as a nurse practitioner. Working in the field as a medical assistant can also help you establish connections that can help you find employment further down the road.
Are you looking to break into the healthcare industry with a well-rounded set of practical skills? Studying to become a medical assistant could be the right path for you. There’s no better place to study medical assisting in Chicagoland than Coyne College.
Launch your career in healthcare at Coyne College
Coyne College’s Medical Assistant program thoroughly prepares you to enter the healthcare field as a medical assistant. You will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed as a medical assistant. Some of the topics covered in the program’s curriculum include:
- Medical Terminology
- Pharmacology
- Anatomy and Pathophysiology
- Basic Insurance and Billing
- And more!
Coyne’s highly knowledgeable instructors have years of meaningful experience in the workforce. Coyne College’s program also features a six-week portion dedicated to EHRs.
All medical assisting students are required to complete an externship following the completion of all of the necessary coursework. Following the completion of the program and your externship, you will be ready to enter the workforce as a medical assistant in any number of healthcare settings.
The program can be completed in as little as 54 weeks, allowing you to be ready for meaningful work as entry-level role medical assistant in just over one year. Day options are offered at the Coyne College campus in the heart of the Chicago Loop at the intersection of State and Madison Streets.
Coyne’s students receive a well-rounded medical assistant education that provides them with a toolbox for success in the healthcare industry.
To learn more about Coyne College’s Medical Assistant program, call us at 800-720-3990, or fill out the online form, and an admission representative will contact you.
