Important Facts About The Career Of A Medical Assistant
Important Facts About The Career Of A Medical Assistant
The term medical assistant is gaining popularity nowadays because of the rising demand for them in the job market. The increase in employment opportunities for the medical assistant has been brought about by the shortage of nurses in hospitals and clinics.
The Job Description
The term medical assistant may be unfamiliar to some of you. A medical assistant is basically someone who assists the doctor in performing his administrative as well as clinical duties. A medical assistant can be a licensed health care worker who has the knowledge necessary to perform the tasks.
The Duties Of A Medical Assistant
A medical assistant is tasked to perform both clinical as well as clerical duties. As part of his clerical duties, he is the one tasked to get information from the patient and to fill up necessary forms. He is also the one to file and retrieve the medical records of the patient. The clinical tasks of a medical assistant may depend if he is qualified to perform such tasks. Part of his clinical duties is to take the blood pressure of the patient and if he is qualified then he may perform ultrasounds and other tests.
Educational Requirement
There is no strict educational requirement to become a medical assistant. This is dependent on the requirements of each employer. Some doctors are willing to accept a high school graduate as medical assistant. There are also others who require their medical assistant to have some form of training. Some medical assistants possess certifications declaring that they have completed a training program related to their job. Medical assistant with very clinical tasks like drawing blood are required to have formal education.
The Benefits Of Higher Education As A Medical Assistant
A medical assistant who has some form of formal training or education related to the field of medicine is most likely to earn a higher salary compared to one who is just a high school graduate. The higher your education, the more tasks you can perform as a medical assistant. The more tasks you are capable of doing, the higher you get paid. A medical assistant with no proper training can only function as a secretary who takes calls, gives out patient information cards and files the patients' medical records. This type of medical assistant earns a lower salary because he is basically doing the functions of a secretary. It also pays to get additional education or trainings while working as a medical assistant to upgrade his knowledge and skills.