Medical Assistant Training

Medical assistants may be referred to as the 'right hand' of physicians. They help the physicians with not only their clerical duties in their office, but also perform other clinical duties.

These clinical duties include the preparation of patients for examination and treatment, taking of blood pressure, temperature and pulse, administration of medication, carrying out phlebotomy and other medical procedures, taking x-rays and electrocardiograms, sterilization of equipment and even helps with minor office surgery.

These assistants may also carryout clerical duties like the maintenance of medical records, scheduling patients, taking care of telephone calls and takes responsibility of billing, collecting and making insurance claims.

Get training in community colleges

Basically, the duties differ from an office to another. While assistants in small offices have generalist duties, the assistants in large offices have to carry out clerical and clinical duties. To carry out all these duties, these assistants should preferably undergo some official training, though it is possible for them to get trained on the job.

You can get formal training in schools of technology or community colleges. The programs offered in community colleges are usually for two years, wherein you receive an associate degree.

You can expect to learn about anatomy, medical terminology, word processing, insurance coding, procedures carried out in the administrative office, some laboratory procedures like phlebotomy and medical office management.

In addition to this training, some community colleges and technology schools also offer externship training. To apply for training, you have to have first completed 10th grade levels in the Test for Adult Basic Education.

Move into an administrative position

With experience and some additional training, you can move into an administrative or management position without any formal education program. However if you wish to advance in the clinical area, you need to undergo some schooling, which is available in some universities and colleges.

Though medical assistants are not licensed, it is possible to take a certification examination to become Certified or become a Registered Medical Assistant through the respective credentialing institution.

On completing your training, it is easier for you to get a degree in some fields like Health Service Management. If you have certificates like Certified Medical Assistant or Registered Medical Assistant, it is accepted by some college and university transitional programs like nursing and emergency medical services.

Expected salary of a medical assistant

As a medical assistant, you can expect to receive somewhere like $13 to $14 per hour, which is a reasonable salary. While you may find most medical assistants in physician's offices, they also work in health maintenance organizations, medical clinics and hospitals.

Work is usually for 40 hours in a week, including weekends in clean and air conditioned offices. Though you may have to wear a uniform, your work schedule is a flexible one. Moreover, many employers are today offering fringe benefits too. All this makes medical assistant training and a career in the field an enticing and lucrative one.



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