What is a Medical Assistant
Are you trying to decide which career path is right for you? Are you trying to find a career that will be growing in the future? Are you concerned that you might not have a job in the coming years? If so, then you should investigate becoming a medical assistant.
Medical Assistant Job Outlook
It is no secret that the population in the United States is aging. The baby boomers are starting to retire and in years to come they will need more and more medical care.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the job market for medical assistants will grow by approximately 14% over the next decade. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm
Medical Assistant Job Duties
The job duties of medical assistants vary from location to location. According to StateUniversity.com, medical assistants might be called on to draw blood, monitor vital signs, or attend to patient hygiene issues. A medical assistant might also be called on to perform clerical duties such as filing of patient charts, answering phones, and scheduling appointments. A medical assistant might even make the coffee.
In other settings, a medical assistant might be called on to check the height and weight of a patient and assist the physician or nurses with patient examination and treatment.
Where Do Medical Assistants Work
- Major hospitals
- Trauma centers
- Long-term acute care hospitals
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Nursing homes
- Assisted living centers
- Doctors’ offices
- Private clinics
- Private homes
There are many places a medical assistant can find work. As the population ages, more and more types of medical facilitates will be created. Presently, medical assistants can find jobs in major hospitals, trauma centers, long term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, assisted living centers, doctors’ offices, private clinics, adult day care centers, and even private homes.
Medical Assistant Education
A person with a high school diploma or a GED can become a medical assistant with no further formal education needed. A great deal of the training is provided on the job. Medical assistants can improve their careers and their salary by working to become a certified medical assistant (CMA) at a medical assistant school.
Many employers will pay for the medical training necessary to become a certified medical assistant. An employee will work full time while attending classes part time. As a person’s qualifications improve, there is a compensating raise in the salary received.
Medical Assistant Salary
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-5, the median wage received by medical assistants is $18.40 per hour or $38,270 per year. The bureau further reports that the upper end of the salary scale is approximately $51,710/year.
The future is bright for medical assistants. All signs point to a job market that will continue to grow over the next decade.
