Medical Assistant Training
A medical assistant is an individual who has trained extensively to perform the duties delegated to them by a licensed physician. He or she should be well versed in communication as well as clerical operations, phone etiquette, hands-on patient care, and a host of other medical specialties. It is also an advantage that the medical assistant has obtained some hands-on clinical training, either on the job or through an accredited program of study. Medical assistants often come in contact with human pathogens, and therefore are required to wear personal protective equipment or PPE.
Medical assistants are required to perform a wide variety of duties. Often times these duties include scheduling appointments, patient filing telephone operations as well as more hands-on procedures in caring for patients. These hands-on duties include taking blood pressure, monitoring pulse rates and respirations, as well as taking temperatures and the overall review of vital signs. In some cases, a medical assistant is also trained and certified to perform dressing changes, complete blood draws, perform patient education, as well as operate x-ray equipment and execute EKGs. Medical assistants are also required to maintain guest facilities waiting rooms, exam rooms and perform equipment sterilization.
Many of the duties performed by medical assistants will vary based on the physician under which they operate, the location in which they operate, as well as the specialties in which they have obtained education. It is widely known that a greater number of specialties earned by a certified medical assistant, the greater job responsibility expected in the working environment.
Demand for medical assistants is expected to increase through the year 2012. Because this career path is becoming such a high demand vocation, many colleges and universities and technical schools are offering educational programs to train in the medical assisting field.
In some cases, medical assistants are trained on-the-job. However, most successful medical assistants are required to complete a formal training program. In order to become a medical assistant, one is required to have a high school diploma or GED. It is possible to earn an AA degree in medical assisting, through various junior colleges and community colleges. It’s also possible to obtain accreditation through an approved program. In order to boast the most widely accepted accreditation your program of study must be approved by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or the CAAHEP.
The outlook for the career path of the medical assistants is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. Newly graduating medical assistants can expect to earn an average of $17,000 a year and after having maintained their position can expect their earnings to reach as high as $34,000 year. Remember, salary ranges vary from state to state and region to region. However, the Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics maintains that most medical assistants will earn on average of $25,500-$30,000 per year.
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