The healthcare field is predicted to grow significantly in the next decade, with a large number of aging baby boomers needing medical care. One of the most in-demand jobs in healthcare today is a certified medical assistant. Medical assistant certification is a process that most candidates for this role will need to learn about. Here are the things you need to know about how to become a certified medical assistant and start your career in this exciting field.
What Medical Assistants Do
Medical assistants do a variety of tasks in a hospital, doctor’s office, or nursing home setting. They often work with patients and support other medical professionals to deliver quality and comprehensive healthcare. Some medical assistants complete tasks to support the administrative side of healthcare including scheduling appointments, recording a patient’s medical history, and updating records in the computer system.
In a clinical setting, medical assistants may take a patient’s vital signs, administer injections or medications, or help doctors and nurses with examinations. Some medical assistants specialize in different areas of practice, such as ophthalmology and podiatry.
Where They Are in Demand
Professionals with a medical assistant license are needed all over the country. In geographical areas where there are high percentages of elderly people, the need for medical assistants is even greater. States like California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York have larger metropolitan areas that are also in need of qualified medical assistants.
Skilled medical assistants are also needed in many different healthcare settings. Hospitals, medical labs, outpatient centers, urgent care clinics, retirement communities, and chiropractor’s offices are also in need of knowledgeable medical assistants. Being certified as a medical assistant is often a prerequisite to getting hired in these settings.
Skills Medical Assistants Need
Besides having the certification, medical assistants also need a specific set of skills to work in this fast-paced and demanding industry. First of all, a medical assistant needs to be comfortable in a healthcare setting. Someone in this role should be able to handle the sight of blood and other bodily fluids.
Medical assistants should also be committed to providing help and support to others. If they work in a clinical setting, they should have the necessary interpersonal skills that allow patients to feel relaxed and at ease during medical procedures. They also need to be able to use various medical diagnostic tools, such as blood pressure monitors, pulse monitors, and other devices for taking vital signs. For the clerical side, people in this field have to possess excellent attention to detail and an ability to maintain patient confidentiality. They need to be familiar with medical terminology, pharmaceutical information, and insurance codes for medical billing purposes.
Enroll in a Medical Assistant Certification Program
If you have an interest in the medical field and feel confident about your abilities in supporting patients or providing clerical services in a healthcare setting, it’s time to find out more about how to get the medical assistant certification. Most candidates for this job start their career journey by enrolling in a medical assistant certification program.
Summit College offers a comprehensive program to prepare for work as a certified medical assistant. The program equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge for this exciting job. Students take courses in medical ethics, coding, pharmacology, microbiology, and many other topics in the field.
