So You Want to be an MA? Here’s What You Can Expect

Becoming a medical assistant is an excellent way to begin a rewarding career in healthcare. Medical assistants perform a wide range of duties from taking medical histories and recording vital signs to assisting a physician during an examination. Medical assisting is one of the fastest growing occupations. If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant, you may wonder what you can expect from both the program and career.

What Can You Expect from a Medical Assistant Program?

The first step to becoming a medical assistant is to find a quality medical assistant program. Applying to the program usually involves an online application with the submissions of a high school transcript or GED requirements, meeting with an admissions representative, coordinating the financial arrangements, and an orientation after signing the enrollment paperwork. 

Our accredited program is approximately 800 hours over 7 ½ months, in addition to a 6-week externship. This is broken down between 640 hours of classroom and lab instruction and 160 hours of clinical experience, including courses in fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, patient care, medical terminology, CPR and first aid, and emergency care. 

After the program is completed, you will take the certification exam to become a certified medical assistant. A complete medical assistant program, including registration, tuition, books, and test fees will typically cost just under $14,000, though financial aid and payment plans are available.

What Jobs are Available After Becoming a Medical Assistant?

Medical assistants work in a variety of healthcare facilities. Most medical assistants work in physician’s offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers, but medical assistants are not limited to these facilities. Some medical assistants can work in administrative healthcare, some will work in retirement communities, and some will find work in universities and other educational facilities. Medical assistants may find work in many different locations, and can even find work as a traveling medical assistant who will experience a variety of positions. 

What Duties Will You Have as a Medical Assistant?

Medical assistants have a diverse role in healthcare and can have some overlap in the duties of a physician’s assistant, LPN, or nursing assistant, but medical assistants do have their own unique profession and set of duties. The duties may change from one facility to another, but duties of a medical assistant include recording patient histories, scheduling appointments, greeting and assisting patients on arrival, processing insurance information, taking vital signs, preparing exam rooms, drawing blood and collecting samples, and communicating with the patient and physician throughout the process.

What Does the Future Hold for a Medical Assistant?

With the aging population and an increase in the need for medical care, becoming a medical assistant means a future of job security and the opportunity for advancement. Medical assistants will often have the clinical skills and experience to further their education and career opportunities in the healthcare field. Many medical assistants will go on to earn their Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and even Master’s degrees in related fields, and many will go on to nursing programs.

Becoming a medical assistant is an excellent way to begin a career in healthcare that has opportunity for job security and advancement. In just under a year, you can become certified and be well on your way toward a satisfying career. Contact Athena Career Academy today for more information about our programs.