What Role do Medical Assistants Play in Healthcare?

Has working in the healthcare industry always been a dream of yours, but the path to doing so seems daunting and out of reach? If years of higher education, student loans, and residencies aren’t feasible for you, don’t fret. A medical assisting career provides an opportunity for you to work in the exciting, fast-paced healthcare field without a significant investment of time and money. Unlike other healthcare careers, the path to becoming a medical assistant is relatively short, with some programs designed to be completed in one year or less. Many schools offer flexible class options to accommodate working students or those with families.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do? 

Intrigued by the idea of becoming a medical assistant but not clear on what role they play in healthcare and the daily duties they perform? Medical assistants have a diverse and wide skill set. They provide tremendous support to a medical practice or facility as they are trained to perform administrative and clinical duties. This broad skill set is unique in a medical setting as most roles focus on either patient care or the administrative side, but medical assistants play a hand in both. This versatility in skill set also gives them job stability.  

The clinical side of medical assisting may include recording vital signs, compiling patients’ medical histories, assisting the physician with examinations, collecting specimens and results from the lab, sterilizing medical equipment, prepping examination rooms, and administering medications under the direct supervision of a physician. 

The administrative side of medical assisting may include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, medical billing, and coding, filing patient charts, and filling out insurance forms.

Where Do Medical Assistants Work? 

Medical assistants can work in a wide array of work settings, including private medical practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, specialty clinics, urgent care clinics, long term care facilities, hospices, prisons, and so much more. One major benefit of becoming a medical assistant is never having to settle because there are so many options available to you. 

In addition to work settings, there are also ample opportunities for advancement. As a certified medical assistant, you have administrative, clinical, technical, and soft skills that make you competitive for many jobs in the healthcare field. Many medical assistants specialize in an area of medicine that interests them most, like pediatrics, podiatry, neurology, cardiology, dermatology, etc. 

Become a Medical Assistant

If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant but don’t know where to begin, the first step is finding a comprehensive, accredited training program. Attending an accredited school is extremely essential as only graduates from an accredited program are eligible to sit for the exam to become a certified medical assistant. While certification is not required to become a medical assistant in some states, most employers prefer to hire certified candidates. Making the decision to become certified will stand out on your resume and give you a competitive advantage over other job applicants who aren’t certified. In addition to increasing your chances of getting hired, earning your certification could lead to higher pay, better shift choices, and increased opportunities for advancement.

Ready to Get Started? 

The skills you will learn in our accredited comprehensive Medical Assistant program will set you up for success in your new job. If you’re ready to take the first step towards a successful, rewarding healthcare career, contact Athena Career Academy to speak with our admissions team and schedule a campus tour.