5 Reasons to Become a Medical Assistant

If you have been looking to join a new and exciting field, then consider becoming a medical assistant. The profession is filled with challenges and great rewards that are sure to enrich your life.

 

  1. You will be helping health care facilities run more efficiently so that more patients may be helped. Medical assistants have differing duties depending on exactly what type of assistant they are. For example, administrative medical assistants update patients’ medical records, handle insurance forms, and arrange hospital visits and laboratory tests. Clinical medical assistants record vital signs, explain treatment procedures to patients, prepare patients for treatment and examination, and help physicians during examinations. Specialized assistants, such as podiatric assistants, help health care professionals with routine examinations and screenings, such as administering medications and developing x rays. Though medical assistants may be responsible for any of these duties, they all ultimately work towards making health care facilities run smoother.
  2. It is relatively easy to join this profession. While becoming a physician is a noble calling, not everyone can make the sacrifice of time and money to complete all of the education and specialized training needed to become one. However, if the health care industry still excites you, you can easily become a medical assistant. Medical assisting programs are typically only one to two years and are available at vocational schools as well as community and online colleges.
  3. You get to work with people. Medical assistants regularly deal with patients, which is great for those who love working with the public. Those who have nurturing personalities will find great opportunities to provide care and comfort to those who are ill, injured, or even just going in for a routine check-up.
  4. There are great employment opportunities for medical assistants. Health care is one of the fastest growing industries in the work force today, due in no small part to the growing population. There will always be a need for the expertise of health care professionals, and that includes the skills of medical assistants. In fact, job opportunities for medical assistants are projected to increase an astounding 34 percent during the 2008-18 decade, adding approximately 163,900 new jobs into the market, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  5. There are excellent advancement opportunities. Medical assisting is a great way to get your foot in the door for a variety of other health care positions. Those who start off in this position can be promoted to becoming nurses, administrative assistants, office managers, and a variety of other administrative occupations. Medical assistants who are dedicated and hardworking will often be considered for advancements to positions of better pay and higher authority.