How To Become A Medical Assistant

Medical assistants perform both clinical and administrative tasks in a doctor's office, hospital, or other health care facility setting.

How do I become a medical assistant?
While there are some medical assistants who receive on-the-job training, the majority enroll in one- or two-year programs that lead to certification or an associate's degree in medical assisting. It is important to choose an accredited program that offers a state-certified curriculum that will lead to certification as a medical assistant.

Medical assistants combine classroom instruction with practical experience to become well-versed in all aspects of medical assisting. Most medical assistant jobs are a combination of administrative and clinical tasks, with an emphasis on administrative tasks in smaller medical environments, like private practices. Depending on whether you like a fast-paced environment or one that is more appointment-oriented, you can choose to find employment at a large hospital or a smaller physician's office.

Certification as a medical assistant is not always required for employment, but many employers do prefer it, as it is a standard way to assess your skills as a medical assistant. Some choose to become certified as a general medical assistant, or they can specialize in areas such as podiatry, optometry, or ophthalmology.

It is a good time to be entering the health care industry as a medical assistant, as the demand for qualified professionals continues to grow as the baby boomer population ages. Employment opportunities can be found in newspapers in print and online, as well as by contacting a hospital's human resources department.

What will I learn in medical assisting school?
Do you like science? It's good if you do, because you'll be covering a lot of science topics in medical assisting school. Coursework includes anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, first aid, pharmaceutical principles, and the administration of medicine.

In addition to the scientific component of a medical assistant training program, students will also learn administrative skills like typing, transcription, accounting, insurance billing and processing, and database maintenance. Other topics may include patient communications, medical laws, and medical ethics.

While classroom instruction is an important component of any training program, an internship or traineeship is where you'll get to put all of your newfound skills to use. All accredited programs include an internship in which medical assisting students are placed in a doctor's office, hospital, or other medical facility.

If you want a career with excellent job prospects, as well as an opportunity to help others, then consider becoming a medical assistant.

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