What Does A Pediatric Medical Assistant Do?

Children are lovable, fun, giggly, and curious. But when they arrive at the pediatrician’s office, they may be anything but the norm. It isn’t always easy to work with sick kids, and even well-child visits can involve nervous or challenging children.

Being a pediatric medical assistant takes understanding and a lot of heart. But if you desire helping children in a medical setting, becoming a pediatric medical assistant may be the perfect career choice for you.

General Duties

Pediatric medical assistants work for doctors and nurses who specialize in treating children. The general administrative needs of a medical office are the responsibility of pediatric medical assistants who handle medical files, make appointments and manage payment issues; however, some will check a patient's body temperature or perform other basic medical services. 

Additionally, pediatric medical assistants communicate with patients on behalf of doctors, completing duties like rescheduling appointments and relaying information between pediatricians and patients. Minor preparation duties like taking a patient's weight and height are also performed by pediatric medical assistants to prepare a patient to meet with the doctor. 

Special Duties

Occasionally pediatric medical assistants may be required to perform special duties to assist the pediatrician. This could include assisting the doctor with circumcisions, rapid strep tests, draw blood and administer medications ordered by the pediatrician.

Furthermore, while pediatric medical assistants typically work with pediatricians, in some instances they can also work with medical specialists. This would include pediatric allergists, pediatric cardiologists and pediatric urologists. In specialized settings, medical assistants are required to perform area-specific duties, including medical testing and area-specific medical care.

Career Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median salary for medical assistants is around $32,500. Those at the top 10% of the profession reported a salary of $43,880 or more. The field is expected to grow by 23% by 2024, which is much faster than the average rate. 

There's no standard education requirement to become a pediatric medical assistant. Regardless of training path, this career is expected to continue an increase in employment well in to the future.

Pediatric medical assisting can be an incredible career, especially for those with the right qualities for it. These professionals should be able to work well with children and may benefit from experience with children prior to entering this field. Certification is voluntary, but may attract more employment opportunities. If you’re interested in becoming a pediatric medical assistant, we want to hear from you. Contact Athena Career Academy today to find out how we can help get you on track for your future career as a pediatric medical assistant.