Medical Assistant Training Programs and Schools

Medical Assistants - Career Information

Medical Assistants or Medical Office Assistants are responsible for carrying out administrative and/or clerical tasks which keep the day-to-day processes in a health care setting operating smoothly. The settings they work in can be doctors' offices, medical centers, clinics, or other health care venues. The assistant's specific duties vary depending on the size, location, or specialty of the setting. In smaller settings, medical assistants tend to perform a wide variety of tasks, handling both clerical and clinical duties. Those in larger settings are more inclined to specialize in a particular area, often under the supervision of a department administrator. Medical assistants greet patients, update their medical records, fill out insurance forms, arrange for laboratory services, answer telephones, schedule appointments, check office and lab supplies, and coordinate billing and bookkeeping. They also perform clinical duties such as recording vital signs, collecting laboratory specimens, sterilizing equipment, preparing patients for examinations, and at times performing basic laboratory tests.

Some medical assistants specialize in a specific area and have additional duties associated with the specific specialty. Some examples include the following:

• Podiatric Medical Assistants assist podiatrists in surgery. They also make castings of feet and expose and develop foot x-rays.
• Ophthalmic Medical Assistants assist ophthalmologists in providing eye care. They conduct tests, measure and record vision, apply eye dressings, and show patients how to use contact lenses. They also assist the ophthalmologist in surgery and administer eye medications under the supervision and direction of the physician.
• Optometric Assistants work directly with optometrists in a similar fashion. They conduct preliminary tests on patients and instruct them about various aspects of eye care.

Medical Office Assistant Responsibilities

Within the confines of a particular medical office or health care setting, a medical assistant will typically perform a variety of tasks, all of them to support a physician or medical staff in the treatment of patients. Responsibilities usually involve some combination of administrative, clerical, and clinical tasks. Generally speaking, their duties fall under the job description of keeping the office running smoothly. A partial list of typical duties of a medical assistant would include the following:

• conducting routine lab tests
• recording vital signs
• giving shots and medication
• greeting and admitting patients
• instructing patients about medication and self-treatment
• preparing rooms for patient examination
• sterilizing and preparing equipment
• removing sutures and changing dressings
• checking office and lab supplies
• making appointments
• completing insurance forms
• recording patients' medical histories and test results
• interviewing patients to obtain medical information
• contacting medical facilities to schedule tests for patients
• arranging for hospital admissions
• showing patients to examination rooms and preparing them to be seen by the physician
• updating patients' medical records
• answering office telephones
• handling office correspondence
• telephoning prescriptions to a pharmacy

Advanced Technology in Medical Assistance

Advances in technology have a direct influence on a medical assistant's professional duties and responsibilities. In particular, assistants need to understand and know how to operate and maintain a wide variety of advanced medical devices and accessories intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of diseases or other medical conditions. Some of the types of equipment with which a medical assistant must be familiar include the following:

• Diagnostic equipment: this category includes medical imaging machines which are used for patient diagnosis, including MRI and ultrasound machines, PET and CT scanners, and x-ray machines;
• Life support equipment: this category includes devices used for maintaining a patient's bodily function, such as heart-lung machines, medical ventilators, and dialysis machines;
• Therapeutic equipment: includes medical lasers, infusion pumps, and LASIK surgical machines;
• Medical monitors: these devices allow a medical staff to measure a patient's vital signs and other parameters including ECG, EEG, blood pressure, and dissolved gases in the blood;
• Medical laboratory equipment: this category includes devices which facilitate analysis of blood, urine, excretions, and genes.

Job Characteristics

Medical assistants usually work in bright, air-conditioned, and clean environments. Most of them who work full-time have a standard 40-hour work week, although there are many who work part time, evenings, and/or weekends. There is a good deal of standing, walking, lifting, and stooping associated with the job. There is also a great deal of interaction with other people. Medical assistants are often multi-tasked and asked to take on several responsibilities simultaneously.

Because they constantly deal with the public, medical assistants need to have a pleasant and courteous demeanor and an ability to put patients at ease and get them to talk freely and openly. People who thrive in this type of job usually have an aptitude for social interaction, and truly enjoy helping others, talking to them, and teaching them how to do things. They must be not only good speakers but also active listeners who are socially perceptive. They need an ability to interact with people from different cultures and must be prepared to interface with individuals who have limited English-speaking skills. Their clinical duties typically require a good level of visual acuity and manual dexterity. Uniforms of some type are often required but even when not uniformed a medical assistant should always be neat and well groomed.

Other important traits for a medical assistant include good judgment (needed to handle confidential medical information) and tact (very useful in dealing with patients). Medical assistants need to be in general good health, and in particular be able to hold their hand and arm steady. Almost all employers require some type of physical examination before hiring for a medical assistant position.

Employment Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), medical assisting is "projected to grow much faster than average" occupations with a 34 percent growth rate from 2008 to 2018. Job opportunities are expected to be excellent over this time span. Due to employer preferences for a trained staff, employment prospects will be especially good for those with experience, formal training, and/or certification.

As of 2008, there were 483,600 medical assisting jobs in the United States according to the USDL BLS. Of these, 62 percent worked in physician's offices, another 13 percent in public and private hospitals (including inpatient and outpatient clinics), and 11 percent in health practitioner's offices such as chiropractors and optometrists. The remainder worked in other healthcare industries including: residential care facilities, nursing homes and community care facilities for the elderly, and outpatient care centers.

The demand for medical assistants is expected to be fueled by an anticipated increase in the number of clinics, group practices, and other health care facilities that will need a large number of support personnel, especially those who are flexible and can handle both administrative and clinical duties. Another contributing factor to the demand is a projected expansion of the health care industry in general owing to a combination of an aging population and technological advances in medicine. This expansion will occur most intensively in the outpatient sector, which feature the types of settings in which medical assistants primarily work.

As of May 2008, the median annual earnings for medical assistants is $28,300. The middle 50 percent of the medical assistant population earned between $23,700 and $33,050. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,600, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $39,570. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical assistants in May 2008 were as follows:

1. $29,720 - General medical and surgical hospitals
2. $28,820 - Colleges, universities, and professional schools
3. $28,710 - Offices of physicians
4. $28,570 - Outpatient care centers
5. $25,240 - Offices of other health practitioners

Medical Assistant Schools, Certification, and Licensing

Although some medical assistants are trained on the job, most employers prefer formal training of some type. A high-school diploma or GED equivalency is typically required for the job. In addition, many medical assistants complete accredited 1-year or 2-year postsecondary programs offered in vocational schools, technical institutes, community or junior colleges, or online educational programs. The 1-year programs normally result in a certificate or diploma and the 2-year programs in an associate degree. These programs often include an internship that provides practical experience in a physician's office, hospital, or some other health care facility. At the present time, there are literally hundreds of medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education School (ABHES). Accreditation by one of these associations usually requires that the curriculum provide a sufficient amount of classroom, lecture, and laboratory time.

Certification, while not mandatory for a medical assistant, is a definite asset which confirms to employers that a medical assistant meets certain standards of proficiency. Employers have a definite preference to hire workers who are either experienced or possess a certification. One credential which is widely recognized and highly valued is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) designation conferred by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Individuals who have graduated from an accredited medical assisting program are eligible for this certification, which is earned by passing a test offered multiple times per year at over 200 different test sites across the U.S. Another popular and valuable certification is the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) designation conferred by the American Technologists (AMT) agency.

Typical Medical Assisting Programs May Include Courses in:

• Administrative Procedures / Office Procedures
• Allied Health Laws
• Assisting in Office Emergencies
• Basic Pharmacology
• Body Systems
• Clinical Procedures
• Communicating with Patients
• Computer Skills
• Health Information Confidentiality / HIPAA
• Insurance Forms
• Introduction to Allied Health
• Introduction to Medical Assisting
• Medical Coding and Claims
• Medical Ethics
• Medical Information Management and Records Storage
• Medical Terminology
• Patient Assessment
• Reimbursement Methodologies
• Telephone Techniques and Phone Skills

Resources for Medical Assistant Training

• American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
• American Academy of Medical Administrators
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• American Medical Association (AMA)
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Additional Medical Office Assisting Articles from CityTownInfo:

• How to Become a Medical Assistant

Major Employers

Nearly two of every three medical assistants in the U.S. work in offices of physicians. Most of the rest work in either an office of some other type of health practitioner (e.g., chiropractors, ophthalmologists, optometrists, or podiatrists) or in a hospital setting, including both inpatient and outpatient facilities. Other employers of medical assistants include clinics, outpatient care centers, ambulatory wellness centers, nursing homes, and other residential care facilities.

Schools for Medical Assistants are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Medical Assistants by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Medical Assistants, along with salary data by industry.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.