The field of medical assisting is growing fast in the modern era. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth of this job has resulted due to the technological advancements, a growing number of aged Americans who are in constant need of medical assistance and the flourishing number of physicians' offices and outpatient care facilities.
Objectives
The following blog will answer all the queries about the occupation of medical assistants. It will address who are medical assistants, what are the duties they have to perform, what is required to become a medical assistant, what is the scope of medical assisting in the US, how much how they get and is it the right choice to become a medical assistant?
Who is a Medical Assistant?
A medical assistant is a medical expert who works with physicians in medical offices and clinics. They work under the supervising physician, who provides the medical assistants with guidance to complete daily tasks. They perform both clinical as well as administrative duties.
Duties of a Medical Assistant
- Record patients’ history and personal information
- Schedule the appointments
- Help to examine the signs in patients, such as temperature
- Give patients injections or medications under the physicians’ guidance
- Prepare blood samples for tests
- Welcoming patients
- Specimen collection
- Diagnostic testing
- Communicate with patients regarding prevention against diseases, health maintenance and instructions given by the physician
- Assist with in-office surgical procedures
The Scope of Medical Assisting in the US.
In the United States, medical assistants used to work in outpatient care centers, urgent care facilities, and clinics only. Now they are also employed in both private and public hospitals, inpatient and outpatient facilities, administrative and clinical settings, or in doctors’ offices. According to a recent study, the employment of medical assistants is expected to increase by 29%, much rapidly than the average for all professions by the end of 2022.
Modesto, California
The Stellar Career College in Modesto provides the medical assisting programs that will help the medical assistants excel in their field.
This program will provide the skillset to work at an entry-level position at a medical facility. The students will learn the skills to assist the nurses and physicians, to give injections, and emergency procedures, including EKG rhythm recognition. The program trains the medical assistants to perform clinical as well as administrative functions such skills as telephone techniques, written communications, scheduling, referrals, ordering supplies, controlling inventory, and maintaining records.
Difference between a Registered Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant, and a Medical Assistant
Registered Nurse (RN)
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has completed an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) and has also passed the NCLEX-RN certification exam.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a person who assists patients with healthcare needs and cares for a patient who is ill or recovering from a surgery or disease. CNA works under a registered nurse, who assigns all the duties to the CNA.
Medical Assistant
A medical assistant is bound to follow the orders of the physician and can not perform actions without the consent of the physician. However, the nurse can write patient care plans without the doctor’s consent.
Medical assistants are provided with in-depth administrative training, whereas the nurses are not. Both perform the duty of patient care such as daily activities which include taking care of hygiene, feeding, wound care and preparing patients for diagnostic testing, etc. CNAs have to report to the RN, whereas medical assistants report to the physician.
Requirements
Most medical assistants have post-secondary education with a certificate. While others enter the profession with a high school diploma and learn by training.
Credentials
These programs are mostly completed in the form of certificates, diplomas, or associate’s degree. They are finished in the duration between 10 months to 2 years. A national certificate is not mandatory but the certificate holders are more privileged and have more career options. Furthermore, there are some states that require a nationally recognized credential. Depending on employer or state requirements, medical assistants are often asked to undergo training to perform specific duties. Their requirements include at least 10 clock hours of training and performing at least 10 of each type of injection or skin test under close supervision. A certified medical assistant is considered to be an expert in his job.
Salary
The range of the salary depends on the city and other factors such as education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have utilized in your profession. According to research on February 26, 2020, the average Medical Assistant salary in California is $39,909, but the range typically falls between $36,791 and $43,091.
Is Medical Assisting Hard?
Being a medical assistant can be demanding because you have to exert yourself physically as well as mentally, it can be stressful and challenging to manage both the administrative and clinical duties side by side. But no doubt it is a rewarding job with an attractive salary.
You can also opt for the profession of a medical clerk, their duties include filing records, assisting in audits, and collecting information. The requirements for this role include a high school diploma and proven work experience. Another in-demand profession is that of medical billers, get yourself enrolled in medical billing course near you now, and have a successful future ahead.
Make the Right Choice.
The profession of medical assisting comes with responsibility. If you are a person interested in the field of medicine and management jobs, then, medical assisting is the perfect career for you to pursue. Getting a job is a struggle but if you are a medical assistant, you are in demand. Medical assisting is a very stable career and the pay trends are high. You will work in a variety of environments and interact with different people. So, make the right choice and chase the promising occupation of medical assisting.
Contact the Stellar Career College for the best medical assisting programs in Modesto CA.