What does a certified medical assistant do?
A is the one who assists doctors and other medical professional in the hospitals, clinics and other health care institutions. With the growing demand for health care staff, this field is becoming popular for anyone who wants to pursue a career in the medical field.
To enroll in a medical assistant school, you need to be a high school graduate. You can choose to finish a certificate program for a year or finish an associate degree for two years.
After completing your training and practicum requirements, you may apply for the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination given by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). If you have been in the field for five years or more, you may take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam given by the American Medical Technologists (AMT).
The medical assistant training covers both administrative knowledge and clinical skills. You will learn the basic of human anatomy, physiology as well as pathology since that is the foundation of medicine. The courses will also cover medical terminologies, laboratory techniques, and pharmacology to fully assist the doctor and medical professionals with their work.
A certified medical assistant should be knowledgeable in clinical and diagnostic procedures and in medicine administration. Your main work is about being the extra hand of doctors and nurses at the hospital and in the clinic. You are also expected to be well trained in first aid and patient relationships.
On top of that you also need to be equipped with basic computer applications, keeping records and fundamental accounting. As a CMA you must also be adept in medical laws and ethics including proper office practices. Your job can cover from answering phones to taking the patient’s vital signs and performing laboratory tests.
The career path of a certified medical assistant is a very promising one. The medical field and health care industry is booming and will continue to grow in the next few years. The aging population and the stressful lifestyle nowadays dramatically increase number of heart diseases, obesity, diabetes and other diseases. Along side with that, more and more medical studies and technological advances need people to assist as well.
According to the Bureau of labor Statistics, the expected certified medical assistant salary may run from about twenty eight thousand dollars to about forty thousand dollars a year. It also offers bigger opportunities for you if you decide to go further with your studies or to try different fields within the medical industry.
You are the extra hand of your boss, also known as the doctor. It pays to understand the ins and outs of your boss’ line of work. This means that if the doctor you work for is a neurologist, then you must be fully adept with medical terminologies and tests concerning that field. If he is a heart surgeon, then you should be able to be knowledgeable on that as well. The key to becoming a competent certified medical assistant is to be adaptable and a fast learner.