Have you decided on what field you want to practice in medicine? If you haven’t, you might want to consider being a professional medical assistant, which is currently a popular career path for many Americans. In fact, employment for medical assistants is projected to grow by up to 19 percent until 2029, and the median pay for this career is a sizable 34,800 dollars. So what exactly does a medical assistant do, and how can you become one?
This article will orient you in all the basic information you need to know to become a medical assistant. First, we will discuss what the job entails and what you can expect during your first rounds around the hospital. We will then talk about the educational preparation you need to become a licensed professional in this medical field.
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
Medical assistants are also known as health care or clinical assistants, and they alternate between working with doctors and caring for patients. If you opt for this career, expect to do many routine tasks like checking patients’ vital signs, administering their injections, and studying their medical history. You may also have to be in charge of the clinic’s or hospital’s front desk, but it depends on your shift and workload.
The best thing about the medical assistant profession is you can thrive in the experience and have a better understanding of what you may want to do in the medical field. For example, you can start in the clinic setting but later decide to transfer to the hospital setting. You can also better define what kind of specialized medical practice you may want to get into, like studying to become a professional nurse or hospital manager.
As such, a career in medical assistance is a great way to gain more in-depth and on-hands experience in the medical profession. It allows you to explore and define what you want to do later in the future. If you decide to be a professional medical assistant, you can also do so since there will always be a need for them in every clinic and hospital.
The Educational Path of a Medical Assistant
Medical assistants undergo a comprehensive training course with laboratory classes and lectures that prepare them for a licensure exam. They can also be subject to on-hands training in an actual clinical setting. This course can be completed in around five months and can accommodate different students who may also be working on the side or have other obligations.
The curriculum has many subjects regarding patient assessment, such as triage, preparation, and counsel. You will also have subjects concerning the fundamentals of law, ethics, physiology, medical terminologies, and basic anatomy. The medical assistance course instructors use both their professional experience and textbook knowledge to prepare their students for the real world of medical assisting.
Medical assistants also have to know about the administrative tasks involved in the medical field, and therefore learn about office administration and the front office. By the end of the course, you can easily adapt to different settings in medicine.
Become a medical assistant today!
Being a medical assistant is a fulfilling profession. The role is respected in the allied medical field and can open a lot of doors for you. Consider enrolling in a medical assistant course today to jumpstart your bright future!
Want to enroll in a professional medical assistant training course in Indiana? We at Medical Career Academy can provide you with that, and we also have different health care courses for you. Enroll with us today and get the comprehensive, hands-on education you need to become a successful allied health practitioner!