What Does a Medical Assistant Do in a Dermatology Office?

If you’re interested in the healthcare field but want to explore opportunities beyond hospitals and nursing homes, then becoming a medical assistant is definitely worth considering. Unlike other healthcare professionals, the most common employers of medical assistants are medical clinics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of all MA’s work in clinics.

One of the major benefits of becoming a medical assistant and working in a clinic is having predictable set hours as most clinics operate during standard business hours and are typically closed evenings, weekends, and major holidays. However, not all clinics are the same either. While many MA’s get their start working in family or internal medicine practices, many of them decide to focus on a specialty, like working in a dermatology office for example. 

What is a Dermatology Medical Assistant?

A dermatology medical assistant is a medical assistant specialized in the field of dermatology. Dermatology medical assistants play an important role in educating patients about their skin related conditions in addition to being an assistant to the dermatologist during examinations and procedures. A dermatology medical assistant must be well-versed when it comes to the specific medical terminology of the field and dermatology disease processes. 

What Does a Dermatology Medical Assistant Do? 

A dermatology medical assistant has many duties relating to medical and cosmetic dermatology that are both administrative and clinical. They assist dermatologists with patient care of people with dermatological issues. Medical assistant duties and responsibilities may overlap, so you’ll also perform many of the same administrative and clinical duties that other medical assistants perform elsewhere. 

Administrative Duties of a Dermatology Medical Assistant 

The duties of a dermatology medical assistant vary office to office, but their responsibilities may include: 

• Data entry, filing, and faxing or emailing documents. 
• Scheduling and confirming patient appointments. 
• Answering telephone calls and inquiries. 
• Obtaining consent forms from patients. 
• Recording the special needs of patients. 
• Creating and maintaining all records of charts and EMR. 
• Documenting and distributing all clinical correspondence of patients. 

Clinical Duties of a Dermatology Medical Assistant 

Some of the clinical dermatology medical assistant duties and responsibilities may include but aren’t limited to: 

• Reviewing a patient’s medical history. 
• Recording patient vital signs, height, and weight. 
• Preparing and collecting lab specimens for testing. 
• Providing follow-up consultations to patients. 
• Assisting dermatologists during physical examinations. 
• Documenting physical examination findings. 
• Ensuring all supplies, exam rooms, and treatment rooms are properly sanitized and stocked. 
• Assisting nurses and patients with procedures. 
• Administering injections as specified by the dermatologist. 
• Preparing patients for surgical procedures, including skin tag removal, excisions, chemical peels, and biopsies.
• Assisting dermatologists with cosmetic procedures, including laser treatment, and Botox. 
• Handing tools and equipment to the dermatologist during surgeries and procedures. 

Become a Dermatology Medical Assistant 

Dermatology medical assistants require special certification for the specialized services they provide. A Specialty Certified Medical Assistant in Dermatology (SCMA-D™) is highly recommended. There’s also another certification available called the Certified Dermatology Tech (CDT) which is valid for two years after the first certification. 

However, the very first step to becoming a medical assistant is to enroll in an accredited general MA program, like the one offered at Athena Career Academy. In order to become certified, students must complete their formal education from schools that have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Athena Career Academy is here to help guide you through the process, so call us today to get started.