Administrative and Clinical Medical Assistants

As a medical assistant, you will perform a wide range of tasks. Over time, you may specialize in either administrative tasks or clinical tasks. However, when you get your diploma at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ to be a medical assistant, you will be qualified to perform all the tasks associated with that profession, including both administrative and clinical tasks.

Some medical assistants have a clinical focus, carrying out tasks that are often associated with nurses, such as getting patients ready for the doctor, giving patients minimal care, and even approving prescription refills. Others spend the majority of their time on administrative tasks at the front desk and in the back office, such as checking patients in and managing the facility’s paperwork. The majority of medical assistant jobs combine the two categories. But in every situation, the medical assistant frees up the physicians’ time by doing important duties that pertain to a patient’s well-being.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

The day-to-day work as a medical assistant will vary according to the position; either administrative or clinical, as well as according to the changing needs of the day. In other words, you may spend your morning managing direct patient needs and your afternoon reviewing patient paperwork filing. Or you may spend your day doing a variety of interspersed administrative and clinical needs.

Here are just some of the duties you may be expected to perform as a medical assistant:

Clinical Medical Assistant Duties

• Monitor and record vital signs
• Prep patients for doctor visits
• Take blood pressure/measure height, weight, etc.
• Explain procedures to patients
• Attend patient examinations
• Assist physician during examinations
• Collect and label patient samples and specimens
• Prepare samples and specimens for transport to lab
• Receive incoming samples and specimens from lab
• Report patient comments/questions to physician
• Report patient condition to physician
• Conduct certain tasks, such as drawing blood, removing stitches
• Clean wounds
• Review home follow up care instructions with patients
• Answer patient questions regarding follow up care
• Insert/Remove IVs
• Perform injections
• Prep patient examination rooms
• Making patients more comfortable
• And more

Administrative Medical Assistant Duties

• Pull patient charts for physician
• Restock supplies in patient examination rooms
• Review patient information with patients
• Check patients in for doctor visits
• Manage referral requests
• Answer phones
• Convey messages
• Greet patients
• Maintain reception area
• Perform billing operations
• Explain bills to patients
• Take payments from patients
• Book/manage patient appointments
• Manage/maintain physician’s schedule

As a medical assistant, you’ll need to be very nimble, as you will balance supporting the physician on duty with patient needs and demands. Your primary role is to support the needs of the physician, but at the same time, you also need to be sensitive to the needs of the patient. For example, while the physician is performing a procedure, you will be expected to monitor the patient’s condition and help them to feel relaxed.

A large part of your job as a medical assistant is to enhance the patient experience. With your help and attention, the patient will feel more confident in the hands of the physician, will feel informed and valued as a person and an individual.

As the support person for the physician, your job is to take care of some of the smaller tasks so that the doctor can focus on the important job of performing the procedure, prescribing medication and treating the patient.

Being a medical assistant is a very rewarding career that is highly valued in the medical field by both patients and physicians.

Where Do Medical Assistants Work?

After you get your qualifications to work as a medical assistant, it’s time to start looking for a job. But who hires medical assistants, and where do they work? The breadth of job opportunities for medical assistants may surprise you. Medical assistants are needed in:

• Hospitals
• Emergency clinics
• Walk-in clinics
• Community centers
• Senior care facilities
• Long-term nursing home facilities
• Private homes
• Hospice care facilities
• Palliative care facilities
• Day spas
• Cosmetic surgeon offices
• Oral surgeon offices
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Movie studios
• And more!

Basically, your skills as a medical assistant are needed wherever people are receiving medical attention or services. In short, you will never be in want of job opportunities when you get your diploma for medical assistant at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝.

This makes you aware of the wide range of jobs associated with being a medical assistant in both the administrative and clinical capacities. This is an exciting, hands-on job with many facets. Those with initiative, concern for others, and the desire to make a difference will find highly gratifying employment after graduating from the medical assistant program at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝.

But let’s start at the beginning:

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

Medical assistants work throughout the healthcare systems, in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, long-term care facilities, and more. Your tasks and duties might vary some, depending on where you work, but medical assistants are generally trained to work on both the administrative (“front office”) side and the clinical side, with direct patient care. They do everything from recording patient history and information, measuring vital signs, scheduling patient appointments, preparing blood samples, and assisting with exams. Maintaining patient health records is another important aspect of the job. The fact that this position is so versatile and vital is likely one of the reasons why it’s over the next few years.

What Are the Steps You Need to Take to Become a Medical Assistant?

In the state of California, every medical assistant must have their high school diploma or GED. If you don’t have that yet, a school like ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ can help you to earn your GED at the same time you train for a new career. Enrolling in an accredited medical assisting program is one of the most common ways that medical assistants get the education they need to pass the necessary certification exams and succeed in the workplace.

Once you have graduated from a qualified medical assistant program, you can apply to be certified by the .

Medical Assisting

Why Choose a Career in Medical Assisting? Because, Helping Others While You Earn a Living Isn’t Just a Great Feeling, It’s a Future You Can Be Proud of!

Learn More

What Should You Look For in a Medical Assistant Program?

Medical assisting is a hands-on career, so it requires a program that offers a lot of hands-on instruction and training. It should train you in both the administrative side — like insurance and billing, office management, professionalism, and communication — and the clinical side — like pharmacology, infection control, musculoskeletal systems, and emergency procedures.

At ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, our Medical Assistant – Administrative and Clinical diploma program teaches you all of these real-world skills in just 36 weeks. The program is capped off by a 4-week, 160-hour externship that gives you practical experience in an actual work environment.

What Kinds of Jobs Am I Qualified for as a Medical Assistant?

It somewhat depends on the level of education you’ve received, but as an example, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s medical assisting program prepares you for jobs like:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
• Doctor’s Assistant
• Medical Office Assistant
• Clinical Assistant
• Outpatient Surgery Assistant
• Medical Secretary
• Medical Receptionist
• Patient Relations Representative
• Front Office Manager
• Health Unit Coordinator
• Medical Office Specialist
• Patient Coordinator

If you’re interested in getting started in an in-demand, caring career as a medical assistant, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is ready to help. Contact us today to talk to one of our advisors about your career goals.

Start Your Career Faster

While some healthcare degrees can take many years to acquire, earning your Medical Assisting certificate can take as little as nine months. That means less time taking classes and more gaining valuable experience in real-world medical settings.

Work Anywhere

There’s a wide range of healthcare facilities that hire medical assistants including hospitals, clinics, general practices, specialty practices, and even nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Additionally, a Medical Assisting certification is recognized across the country, so you don’t need different certifications to work in different states. Live where you want to live, and work where you want to work.

Build Relationships

Medical assistants work face-to-face with different people every day. If you enjoy talking and listening to people and putting them at ease or making them smile, this may be the perfect career for you. You’ll also get to work in a team setting with physicians, physician assistants, nurses and other healthcare professionals, and come to trust, support, and rely on each other.

Increased Demand

According to the , demand for medical assistants is expected to grow by 19% through 2029, much faster than the average for other occupations. This means it will be easier for qualified applicants to find jobs and those jobs will be more secure. Due to an aging population, healthcare is now the in the U.S., so pursuing a healthcare career is a strategic move for your future.

Enjoy a Regular Schedule

Unlike some jobs in the healthcare field where you might get called in at the spur-of-the-moment or put in all-nighters, medical assisting jobs tend to have more regular, set schedules. For example, if you work in a physician’s practice, you’ll only work when the practice is open. This can make your life more predictable and manageable.

Potential for Growth

The clinical, administrative and soft skills (such as empathy or good communication) that you acquire when becoming a medical assistant can be applied to a number of other meaningful roles in the healthcare field. You may eventually be able to secure a role as a team lead or even a clinic administrator. Your knowledge and experience can open you up to advancement opportunities.

Hardly Ever Boring

Each day in the life of a medical assistant is often different and usually busy. From greeting patients, taking vital signs, scheduling appointments, updating medical records, processing insurance forms, and more, your days will likely fly by. You probably won’t ever have to worry about being bored or not having enough to do.

If you’d like to learn more perks of becoming a Medical Assistant, check out the Medical Assistant Administrative & Clinical Program at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. With a dedicated faculty, flexible scheduling options and free tutoring, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ helps students get the hands-on training and skills they need to join the amazing healthcare heroes out there making a difference every day.ĚýContact us for more information or schedule a tour today and get ready to start your future!

What does a Medical Assistant actually do on a daily basis?

The answer to that is – it depends. Because every day is likely to be very different depending on where you work. If you’re a medical assistant in an ER, you’re surely going to have a different routine than if you work in a podiatrist’s office. It might be better to start with the typical duties medical assistants are trained to perform and to note that they are trained to provide both clinical and administrative support to a healthcare team. Generally, most medical assisting programs include training in the following areas:

1. Greeting patients
2. Scheduling appointments
3. Recording patient medical history
4. Updating and maintaining electronic medical records
5. Processing insurance forms
6. Recording patient vital signs
7. Phlebotomy
8. Administering medication
9. Collecting lab specimens

You might be doing one or all of the above tasks on any given day working as a medical assistant. And it’s safe to say, you’ll be interacting with all kinds of people, from all walks of life and that – can make for a very interesting work life!

Are hospitals and doctor’s offices the only places medical assistants can find work?

No way! Of course, you’ll always find medical assistants working in hospitals, ERs, doctor’s offices, clinics and urgent care practices. But you can also look for jobs at schools, colleges, military installations, nursing homes and even government agencies. It’s the versatile nature of medical assisting that makes it a career path with a high demand for qualified personnel. So high in fact, that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that medical assisting careers will grow at a much faster than average rate of 23%, adding a whopping 154,900 jobs by 2028!*

Plenty of places you can work, an industry on the rise with tons of growth, and our medical assisting programs can be completed in as little as 9 months. Yep! There’s a lot to love about a career in medical assisting. But the best part by far? That feeling you’ll get from making a living by helping people feel better. By making their experience a little bit better by just being you! If you’d like to learn more about a career in medical assisting, check out the Medical Assistant Administrative & Clinical Program at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. With a dedicated faculty, flexible scheduling options and free tutoring, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is helping students get the hands-on training and skills they need to join the amazing healthcare heroes out there making a difference every day. Contact us today for more information.

*

What Medical Assistants Do

Medical assistants do a variety of tasks in a hospital, doctor’s office, or nursing home setting. They often work with patients and support other medical professionals to deliver quality and comprehensive healthcare. Some medical assistants complete tasks to support the administrative side of healthcare including scheduling appointments, recording a patient’s medical history, and updating records in the computer system.

In a clinical setting, medical assistants may take a patient’s vital signs, administer injections or medications, or help doctors and nurses with examinations. Some medical assistants specialize in different areas of practice, such as ophthalmology and podiatry.

Where They Are in Demand

Professionals with a medical assistant license are needed all over the country. In geographical areas where there are high percentages of elderly people, the need for medical assistants is even greater. States like California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York have larger metropolitan areas that are also in need of qualified medical assistants.

Skilled medical assistants are also needed in many different healthcare settings. Hospitals, medical labs, outpatient centers, urgent care clinics, retirement communities, and chiropractor’s offices are also in need of knowledgeable medical assistants. Being certified as a medical assistant is often a prerequisite to getting hired in these settings.

Skills Medical Assistants Need

Besides having the certification, medical assistants also need a specific set of skills to work in this fast-paced and demanding industry. First of all, a medical assistant needs to be comfortable in a healthcare setting. Someone in this role should be able to handle the sight of blood and other bodily fluids.

Medical assistants should also be committed to providing help and support to others. If they work in a clinical setting, they should have the necessary interpersonal skills that allow patients to feel relaxed and at ease during medical procedures. They also need to be able to use various medical diagnostic tools, such as blood pressure monitors, pulse monitors, and other devices for taking vital signs. For the clerical side, people in this field have to possess excellent attention to detail and an ability to maintain patient confidentiality. They need to be familiar with medical terminology, pharmaceutical information, and insurance codes for medical billing purposes.

Enroll in a Medical Assistant Certification Program

If you have an interest in the medical field and feel confident about your abilities in supporting patients or providing clerical services in a healthcare setting, it’s time to find out more about how to get the medical assistant certification. Most candidates for this job start their career journey by enrolling in a medical assistant certification program.

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ offers a comprehensive program to prepare for work as a certified medical assistant. The program equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge for this exciting job. Students take courses in medical ethics, coding, pharmacology, microbiology, and many other topics in the field.

If you’ve completed your education and are looking for an entry-level position, it’s important for you to have a medical assistant resume that can go out to the expansive job network. Here are some tips for writing your MA resume—a resume for 2020 that can help you highlight your skills and background and may lead to that important entry-level job.

Here’s an example of a medical assistant resume:

JENNIFER A. CASEY
123 Maple St.
My Town, CA 90000
909-555-6467
jacasey@email.com

Professional Summary

Competent Certified Medical Assistant uses both clinical and administrative skills to treat patients and support medical colleagues. Delivers high quality patient care and shows compassion. Assists patient family members in managing patient care. Takes charge of responsibilities with confidence and performs duties skillfully and accurately.

Key Strengths/Core Competencies

• AAMA CMA certification
• CPR certification
• Clinical medical internship
• Detailed knowledge of medical terminology and administrative best practices (including HIPAA)
• Medical billing and coding proficient
• Strong organizational and digital record-keeping skills
• Advanced computer skills
• Patient-centered caregiver

Education

• AAMA CMA certification, October 2019
• Diploma, Medical Assistant Clinical & Administrative program, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, El Cajon, CA, 2019
• CPR and First Aid training, My Town YMCA, completed 2018
• Diploma, My Town High School, My Town, CA, 2018

Experience

• Clinical internship, Orthopedics Department, My Town Medical Center, My Town, CA, summer 2019
• Junior volunteer, My Town Hospital, My Town, CA, summer 2017-2018
• Customer service help, Acme Department Store, My Town, CA, November-December 2018
• File clerk, Dr. John Smith, 222 Center St., My Town, CA, summer 2016
• Babysitter, My Town, CA, 2014-present