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| s Ashley Cameron blows soap bubbles for a local child while assisting with a medical civic action program held at Delap High School (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Medical Assisting and Certifications
If you are looking for a career that offers the ability to
develop ongoing skills and job security; then you may want to consider medical
assisting. The medical assistant today works in a variety of setting and has a
variety of skill sets.There are the traditional medical assistant roles in
family practice and general practice doctor's office.
This is a great setting if you enjoy diversity in your work day and having an ongoing relationship with patients that spans the years. You will have the opportunity to learn a variety of clinical skills when you assist the doctor with various exams. In smaller practices, you may have the opportunity to be involved with front office activities like setting appointments and billing. Many larger practices have very defined roles for their medical assistants.
Opportunities
in General or Specialty Practices
There are all sorts of opportunities to specialize in medical assisting. You can work for a number of different specialists. Some medical assisting specialties like working in an ophthalmologist office are recognized as specialized professions. If you work in an orthopedic or urgent care facility you have the opportunity to learn skills like limited radiology.
There are all sorts of opportunities to specialize in medical assisting. You can work for a number of different specialists. Some medical assisting specialties like working in an ophthalmologist office are recognized as specialized professions. If you work in an orthopedic or urgent care facility you have the opportunity to learn skills like limited radiology.
Each specialty has number specialized tasks those medical assistants in that practice i are expected to learn. The more skills the specialty requires; the more opportunities the medical assistant has to expand their skills and career opportunities. In general medical assisting in a specialty practice pays higher wages then medical assisting in a more general clinical setting.
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| Patient simulator in the Clinical Skills and Clinical Simulation Center. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Training
in Accredited Programs
Many entry level positions in medical assisting start out about $20.000 a year,
but pay tends to increase relatively quickly as skills and positions advance.
Many medical assistants will have salaries in the$40,000 a year range. Many
states do not require any special training for becoming a medical assistant,
but technological and medical advances make it highly unlikely that you will
find positions in medical assisting without any formal training.
The majority of career schools offer training in medical
assisting. There are a variety of diploma programs and associate degrees
programs. Associate degree programs are suggested for students who want to go
into other areas of health care. It is a good associate degree for someone who
wants to go on to get a bachelor's degree in related to practice management.
Most programs include courses both administrative and
clinical skills. These include courses such as Anatomy, Physiology, Medical
Transcription, Medical Billing and Medical Coding. Clinical courses teach
vitals, phlebotomy, assisting in common exams, limited radiography, basic
laboratory and specimen preparation skills. All programs require a clinical
ex-tern to give medical assistant students job ready skills when they leave the
program. You should only consider programs that will prepare you to take
certification exams.
Types
of Certification
The two most common certifications are Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). For new medical assistants they require that you complete a training program that is accrued by either the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).
The two most common certifications are Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). For new medical assistants they require that you complete a training program that is accrued by either the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).
There are a few online programs that will prepare students
to sit for either the CMA or RMA exams. The programs can be much focused. They
are a good choice for students who get some clinical experience in their
current employment such as CNA's or patient techs. For the student with no
clinical experience it can be difficult to obtain skills needed in the clinical
classes because you are limited to learning this skill by simulation. You will
be dependent on learning clinical skills in the extern part of your training.
Unless , you extern in a practice that give you very diverse
experience you will find yourself shorted on the ability to master some of
these clinical skills. Most local community colleges and career colleges offer
medical assisting courses that include hands on clinical training. Most
students new to the medical profession will want to get their training in this
type of setting.
The job outlook is good for those entering the career of
medical assisting. The ageing baby boomer population will be providing
specialties that provide management of conditions common in old age plenty of
new patients. The implementation of Obamacare will mean that more people will
be accessing the medical system and the need for family and general practices
will increase. There should be no shortage of interesting practices for medical
assists entering the profession in the foreseeable future.
