Obtaining a medical assistant degree can open many doors for your future in health care. If you have a passion for science and helping people becoming a medical assistant can allow you to pursue your calling. Medical assistants play a vital role in a patient’s overall care and health.
Education
There are many different certificates and degrees available to those who would like a career in the health care field. In the United States medical assistant programs can become certified through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. Many medical settings and healthcare agencies require medical assistants to be registered in order to practice. This certification signifies that the medical assistant is competent for entry level positions. Certification is not necessary for all positions but it can greatly increase the likelihood of receiving a job offer. There are various certification organizations in the United States for medical assistants including the American Association of Medical Assistants which involves taking a comprehensive exam. In order to continue to maintain a medical assistant certification ongoing testing is required periodically. Having five years of practical experience and/or passing a certified medical assisting education curriculum can make someone eligible to become a registered medical assistant. The National Center for Competency Testing is an organization that also issues out medical assistant credentials based upon the student passing a college program in medical assistant and obtaining applicable experience in the field.
Training
The right training can give you a real step up in the medical field. Although it is very important to have textbook medical knowledge, knowing how to apply it to a patient’s care is crucial. Many of the tasks that medical assistants are responsible for include taking a patient’s vital signs, dispensing medications, keeping records, preparing the examination room, collecting blood and urine, administering vaccinations and more.
Careers
There are many different careers that a person with a medical assistant degree can obtain, depending on where they want to specialize and use their skill set. The most common career for those with a medical assistant degree is assisting doctors in a clinic with routine tasks such as measuring vitals and doing pre-examination preparation. Medical assistants may also find careers working in hospitals, urgent care locations, outpatient facilities, assisted living facilities and more.
If you love to care for others and assist in their overall health consider pursuing a medical assistant degree. It is predicted to be one of the fastest growing career sectors in the next few years, with more possibilities being added to the overall list of employment opportunities regularly.
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