subject: Medical Assistant Earnings, Career Paths And Advancement [print this page] The average salary of a medical assistant will depend on several factors, including the level of experience, amount of education, skill set and the geographic location. For instance, if a medical assistant has a 20-year work experience in this field in a large urban hospital, then he/she is earning more than those who are working as an entry-level assistant in a small doctor's office. Then again, the salary of this profession is still competitive compared with other occupations. With the expansion of the health care industry, the demand is growing massively. Almost all medical assistants can earn the highest level of compensation as long as they have the right work experience, certification and education.
What should you expect when you work in this field?
Your job responsibilities may vary depending on the type of office, size, nature and the location of the practice. If you work in a small office, you will have a range of clinical and administrative duties. You will also be working under the direct supervision of a physician or other health care professionals.
On the other hand, if you are working in a large practice, you will be specializing in a particular area, such as surgery, therapy, medical records or health information. You will work under the supervision of a department administrator.
Apart from greeting the patients and making appointments, your other standard tasks will include the following:
- Collecting laboratory specimens
- Recording vital signs of the patients
- Preparing patients for a medical examination
- Sterilizing of medical instruments and properly disposing of contaminated supplies
What is the work environment for this profession?
A medical assisting career lets you work in a hospital, nursing homes, outpatient care center, clinic, or a residential care facility. You will be interacting with various patients and people. Because of the different tasks that might be assigned to you, you should hone your multi-tasking skills to carry out your duties well.
What other careers you can be qualified for?
You can move forward to become an office manager or clinical supervisor, depending on the number of years you have been working as a medical assistant. You can find work as a medical assisting teacher or you can become a nurse, if you wish.
Apart from career advancement, working in this field also allows you to enjoy added responsibilities by specializing in various areas. For example, you can take up a specialization course in ophthalmology and podiatry or optometry. These areas offer unique work experiences as long as you have the right credentials.
Surely, work experience, education and certification are three important factors that would allow you to move up the ladder. Through certification, you can carry out wide range of tasks allowing you to earn more. It also shows your level of competence and confidence in this field.
