Have you ever considered a career in medicine, but never had the time to go through all those years of medical career training? Why not try to be a medical assistant? In the process of learning how to become one, you can explore the full extent of the medical industry. You don’t even need to go to medical or nursing school. Medical assistants help with everything from administrative tasks like billing to patient care to phlebotomy and CPR.
If all this sounds good, then you should learn about what you can expect out of medical assistant school. Here are a few truths to dispel the misconceptions and myths about medical career classes.
Truth: A Medical Assistant Is Not the Same as a Nurse
The misconception this truth is trying to dispel is actually extremely common. While a medical assistant can work alongside a nurse, that doesn’t mean they are the same. While they are both critical to an efficient medical facility, they do different jobs.
A medical assistant supports a physician as their right hand and also acts as a patient advocate. They do various tasks like schedule appointments and take vitals. If there’s an examination, medical assistants start it off and can assist during the exam itself. A medical assistant asks the early questions, allowing doctors to get straight to diagnosis and care faster.
Meanwhile, nurses often take up more responsibility in the primary care of patients.
Truth: You Need More Than On-the-Job Training to Become a Medical Assistant
Preparing new medical assistants used to mean a lot of on-the-job training. In fact, for those who work mostly in an administrative capacity, on-the-job training could be enough. But if you want to be able to do more medical care, then you’ll also need to learn more. You could go to an accredited school to learn the medical roles you’ll need to fill during your time as a medical assistant. Students who go to these schools are expected to do a mix of intense classes and on-the-job training.
Truth: Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Are Not Always Qualified to Be Medical Assistants
If a CNA has the right training, they could become a medical assistant. This is because some of the training and medical skills overlap. However, much like nurses, CNAs are not medical assistants. Medical assistant programs last 6-12 months of full-time studies, while associate degree programs take 18-24.
Truth: A Medical Assistant Does Not Have to Work Under a Nurse
Medical assistants support both doctors and nurses. Certain employers create corporate structures that place medical assistants under supervising nurses, but this can vary between employers. It is actually becoming more common for senior medical assistants to supervise other medical assistants.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now that you know these truths, it’s made the position of a medical assistant clearer and dispelled any myths you may have known. Don’t stop here! If you’re considering a medical assistant career, start looking up local accredited schools and start your journey!
Looking for medical assistant classes in Indiana? Contact Medical Career Academy today! We are dedicated to providing our students with quality education in several health care fields.