This article discusses the different kinds of medical assistant positions that are part of this career prospect, and how prospective candidates can get the best out of their career.
About The Medical Assistant Career
One of the most rewarding and brightest careers in the hospital sector is that of the Medical Assistant. Several young people are choosing medical assisting as a career prospect nowadays and there is a great demand for these people in various kinds of health establishments.
A medical assistant has a number of exciting career options in the healthcare industry such as phlebotomist, medical assistant, medical records technician, and several more.
Healthcare professionals and healthcare provider groups, clinics, medical doctors, private and public health establishments, hospitals, and insurance companies in every corner of the world are demanding for qualified medical office staff.
As a result, recruiting firms and placement organizations are doing their hurried best to meet this sudden need for medical assistants. When there is demand, it doesn’t take time for supply to be generated and young people are increasingly choosing medical assisting as a career option.
Exploring Medical Assistant Career Options
Firstly, you need to explore the various career educational and training options that are available in the medical assistant field in the area where you live. It is also very important to find out exactly what a medical assistant gets paid in the area where you live.
A medical assistant’s job duties fall either under the administrative category where secretarial duties are emulated or clinical duties where the assistant would be required to assist in the clinical aspects of a patient’s care.
A career as a Medical Assistant can be rewarding in itself; however, starting off as a medical assistant can lead a person deeper into the medical field. A person can make an entire career out of being a medical assistant, but if career growth and progress is sought, then it might be a good idea to use the medical assistant career as a springboard to other career options.
What options does the Medical Assistant career offer?
Cross-training Into Different Positions
Almost every area of medicine uses Medical Assistants in some capacity or the other. These areas of medicine can be anything from general practice to medical research, pharmaceutical companies and so on. A medical assistant can therefore venture into any field of medicine that seems interesting and find a job there.
Physician’s offices employ most of the medical assistants in the United States. However, working in a physician’s office is not the only option. Popular choices include assisting doctors and nurses in a hospital, assisting in the care of elderly people, assistant different kinds of medical professionals such as ophthalmologists or psychiatrists with their patients.
For example, a medical assistant can take up the courses that will qualify him or her to be a Regular Nurse. This kind of shifting via training is called cross-training. Experienced and motivated medical assistants eventually cross-train to enter other health service occupations such as dental assistant, an X-ray technician, ophthalmic medical assistant, EKG technician, surgical technologist, massage therapist or phlebotomist.
Several medical assistants go back to school to become nuclear technologists or radiation technologists, career options that allow them to treat cancer patients.
Evolving Into A Medical Records Technician
Medical records technicians use medical data to form the vital link between physician and patient. These technicians do not provide patient care. These technicians are held responsible for assembling the medical record of a patient to ensure completion and coordinating the administrative activities of the medical office. They ensure that information is conveyed to staff and clients about patients, planned treatments and schedules.
Evolving Into A Medical Data Assistant
In several organizations, secretaries and medical record technicians work together to share expertise. It is an easy job for the administrative medical assistant to become a medical data assistant and find employment in clinics, medical offices, medical equipment suppliers, medical insurance companies and hospitals.
These medical data assistants are trained in transcription and medical terminology, apart from a thorough grounding in medical data management and insurance coding. Their training and broad expertise allow these medical data assistants to key medical data into hospital databases and print reports, provide front desk support, schedule appointments and manage several other critical tasks.
Evolving Into A Medical Billing Clerk
Almost all administrative medical assistants can perform the tasks required during medical billing and insurance coding. Medical assistants that are proficient in insurance rules, practices used in billing, data entry, surgical and laboratorial procedures can become Medical Billing Clerks.
These medical billing clerks submit the correct documentation to federal agencies and insurance companies for medical reimbursement. Their expertise allows them to avoid fraud charges and enables their employer to succeed, financially.
The specialized training that these medical billing clerks receive and their expertise at hospital-critical tasks allow them to find work anywhere. Owing to the nature of this work, flexible working arrangements are possible, such as working part time or over the weekends.
Evolving Into A Medical Transcriptionist
A medical transcriptionist’s tasks involve supportive tasks that are performed in clinics, medical group practices, medical insurance companies, hospitals, equipment firms and medical supply firms.
The medical transcriptionist basically edits or transcribes prescriptions, medical letters, medical publications pertaining to a patient’s diagnosis or treatments, procedural notes, medical reports, medical examinations, laboratory procedures and surgical operations. It is necessary for a medical transcriptionist to possess an excellent understanding of language, editing and listening skills.
Evolving Into A Phlebotomist
Who are Phlebotomists? They are healthcare professionals that undergo training to draw and collect blood sample specimens by using either the venipuncture or micro collection techniques. These phlebotomists normally work under the supervision of a physician, a lead phlebotomist or a medical laboratory scientist.
These higher authorities perform various analyses and tests on the blood that is collected by the phlebotomist collects the blood, using sophisticated laboratory equipment
Evolving Into A Pharmacy Aide
Pharmaceutical stores and companies need people with pharmaceutical degrees to help assemble medications, categorize and label them and sell them in an informative manner to patients.
While a medical assistant aiming to becoming a pharmacy aide does not necessarily have to undergo the years of pharmaceutical training, he or she can seek positions at pharmacy stores as pharmacy aides. The skills that they learnt while working in a medical office will be useful in this scenario as well.
What does a pharmacy aide do? The basic job profile of a pharmacy aide is to make a record of the drugs that are delivered to the pharmacy, to store the merchandise that comes in and maintain inventory. These pharmacy aides are often asked to operate a cash register and help customers with their prescriptions at the customer care counter.
A pharmacy aide must be familiar with the names of drugs, dosages, and some idea of the manufacturer in each case.
Evolving Into A Physical Therapist Assistant
A Physical Therapist must be familiar with the modalities of cold and heat therapy, ambulation procedures, ROM exercises, and several techniques of physical therapy. A medical assistant can aspire to be a physical therapist by obtaining additional training and will be able to work with a hospital’s therapeutic team.
A medical assistant who evolves as a physical therapist will be able to work in a number of places such as a physician’s office, a physical therapist’s office, a nursing care facility, outpatient health care or home healthcare services.
The role of physical therapist assistant is rewarding and well worth the additional training and effort, as the pay is more and the importance that is given to a physical therapist is definitely much higher in health establishments.
How much does a medical assistant make
The job outlook of the medical assistant is excellent, especially for the people who have experience related clinical and administration. In the year 2020, the mean annual earnings for the medical assistant was ranging between $24,503 - $41,688 according to PayScale.
The average hourly wages range from $10-$18 and in hospitals, it can go up to $20. For efficient assistants who show willingness to learn, there is an ample scope to progress.
There are thousands of job openings in various cities across the world. This is one of the promising areas, which will never fade away when it comes to job openings and a promising career. It will provide steady income and stability.
