That’s a great question for people who are researching roles in the medical field.
A medical assistant is someone that is trained to take medical histories and record vital signs for patients. Functionally, they provide both administrative and medical assistance to doctors and nurses.
Medical assistant positions are one of the fastest growing careers in healthcare. In fact, Medical assistants held about 591,300 jobs in 2014 alone (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). This number is expected to increase by an unprecedented 23% over the next 10 years and you have the opportunity to become a part of that wave.
Medical assistants can also complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and many other healthcare facilities. The duties they serve vary on the size, function, and capacity of the facility they work in.
Combining multiple skills, including health and administration, these professionals make the healthcare industry possible. With the dramatic shift in policies and the dwindling of doctors in the country, healthcare professionals are needed more than ever.
What Can You Do as a Medical Assistant
Medical Assistants alleviate some of the need by assisting doctors and nurses so they can continue their important work helping the people in need.
As a medical assistant, you will primarily take and record patient information and prepare them for their upcoming procedures by giving them the information they need to reassure them.
One of the most important tools for medical assistants to learn is the use of Electronic health records (EHRs). These programs are changing the landscape of paper records and allowing for the better care of patients through shared information. Learning these tools will put you leaps and bounds ahead of the competition as a medical assistant.
Depending on your interests, you can choose to either focus on administrative or clinical work to help larger practices or hospitals flow perfectly from day-to-day.
Medical assistants do a lot for the healthcare industry and you can too.
You can learn more about becoming a medical assistant by giving our professional staff a call for free information on our programs.
