Do you want to play an important role in the health and well-being of people of all ages, but don't exactly want to spend the enormous amount of time and money it takes to become a doctor? Do you have the enviable ability to put people at ease and keep things running smoothly?  Clinical medical assistance is the career for you!  Clinical medical assistants are the backbones of medical offices and clinics across the nation.

Clinical medical assistant training requires just one to two years in a medical assisting program.  Some medical assistants are trained in the office or clinic, but most physicians prefer to hire those who have completed a program and earned a certificate, diploma, or degree.  There are various paths to earning certification; medical assistance programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Those who complete a one-year program will earn a certificate or diploma, and those who complete a two-year program will earn an Associate's Degree in medical assistance.

To be accepted into a medical assistant training program, applicants should have a high school diploma or GED.  Once accepted, students will embark on a one to two year study of anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, administration of medications, and first aid.  Since clinical medical assistants are integral to keeping the office running smoothly, students also study typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, insurance processing, office practices, patient relations, medical laws, and ethics. Many accredited programs also include an internship in doctors' offices, hospitals, or related health care facilities, which provides valuable experience.

While formal medical assistant training is preferred by most hiring physicians, it is not always a requirement.  Those who receive on-the-job training work closely with experienced medical assistants, and attend many training sessions in their first few months of work.

A Day in the Office
If the idea of doing the same thing over and over again all day doesn't appeal to you, you will love the fact that clinical medical assistants perform a large variety of duties ranging from explaining treatment procedures to patients to handling administrative tasks.

The administrative tasks of a clinical medical assistant include greeting patients, answering telephones, scheduling appointments, and handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping.  They also perform duties that are specifically medical in nature, such as updating and filing medical records, filling out insurance forms, and arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services.

Other duties of clinical medical assistants vary state by state, but usually include taking medical histories, recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, and preparing patients for and assisting physicians in examinations. Medical assistants also collect and prepare laboratory specimens, occasionally perform tests on said specimens, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments.  Do you want to play an important role in the health and well-being of people of all ages, but don't exactly want to spend the enormous amount of time and money it takes to become a doctor? Do you have the enviable ability to put people at ease and keep things running smoothly?  Clinical medical assistance is the career for you!  Clinical medical assistants are the backbones of medical offices and clinics across the nation.

Clinical medical assistant training requires just one to two years in a medical assisting program.  Some medical assistants are trained in the office or clinic, but most physicians prefer to hire those who have completed a program and earned a certificate, diploma, or degree.  There are various paths to earning certification; medical assistance programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Those who complete a one-year program will earn a certificate or diploma, and those who complete a two-year program will earn an Associate's Degree in medical assistance.

To be accepted into a medical assistant training program, applicants should have a high school diploma or GED.  Once accepted, students will embark on a one to two year study of anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, administration of medications, and first aid.  Since clinical medical assistants are integral to keeping the office running smoothly, students also study typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, insurance processing, office practices, patient relations, medical laws, and ethics. Many accredited programs also include an internship in doctors' offices, hospitals, or related health care facilities, which provides valuable experience.

While formal medical assistant training is preferred by most hiring physicians, it is not always a requirement.  Those who receive on-the-job training work closely with experienced medical assistants, and attend many training sessions in their first few months of work.
 

A Healthy Opportunity
The growth of medical assistant employment from 2006-2016 is expected to be 35 percent, making medical assistants one of the fastest growing job opportunities of the decade. The number of group practices, clinics, and health care facilities is rapidly expanding, and they desperately need medical assistants.  Job prospects are excellent, especially for those with formal training. 

The average annual earning of a medical assistant in May 2006 was $26,290.  Some were even earning more than $36,000!

If you're ready to improve the lives of countless individuals and keep those physicians on track, take the first step toward your new career and begin your clinical medical assistant training!