|
Nurse or Nursing Training Information
Medical Assistant Training
Those wishing to become medical assistants should know that the typical place of employment in this line of work is represented offices of physicians and other health practitioners, with about sixty percent of the registered medical assistants working in such settings. Some medical assistants receive on-the-job training, but most of them complete training programs provided by a medical assistance school. Such schools include community and junior colleges, technical-vocational high schools, or postsecondary vocational schools. If you are worried about the prospect of future job openings for medical assistants, you should know that specialists predict it to be one of the fastest growing occupations in the years to come, and chances of employment are particularly increased for formally trained and certified individuals.
As you probably already know, the responsibilities of medical assistants basically come down to performing clinical and administrative tasks that will keep their working place running smoothly. Factors like size and location of the practice, and the specialty of the employing practitioner usually influence the amount and type of responsibilities of medical assistants. For instance, those working in small practices are usually generalists who handle clinical and administrative duties and report directly to a physician or office manager. On the other hand, medical assistants working in large practices are usually specialized in a particular area, and work under direct supervision of department administrators.
The administrative duties include filling out insurance forms, filing and updating medical records of patients, scheduling appointments, greeting patients, answering telephones, bookkeeping, arranging for laboratory services and hospital admission, etc.
The clinical duties of medical assistants can vary from state to state, and from practice to practice, with podiatric medical assistants and ophthalmic medical assistants having additional duties. However, the typical clinical responsibilities include recording vital signs, taking medical histories, preparing patients for examination and explaining treatment procedures to them, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, performing basic laboratory tests, disposing of contaminated supplies, sterilizing medical instruments, instructing patients about medication, preparing and administering medication according to the physician’s prescription, preparing patients for X rays, drawing blood, removing sutures, taking electrocardiograms, changing dressings, etc.
The clinical responsibilities require medical assistant training more than the administrative ones do. Given the reliance on assistants to perform all these important tasks, most employers prefer individuals who have completed a formal medical assistant training program. As mentioned above, MA training programs are available in all sorts of medical assistance schools, from vocational schools and high schools to community and junior colleges. MA training covers topics related to both the administrative and the clinical responsibilities of the future medical assistant, including physiology, anatomy, medical terminology, recordkeeping, typing, transcription, insurance processing or accounting. During the medical assistant training, students also learn diagnostic and clinical procedures, laboratory techniques, first aid, administration of medications, and pharmaceutical principles. The MA training classes should also teach students about medical law, ethics, patient relations, and office practices.
You can choose a medical assistant training program that lasts for one year, and your course provider will grant you a certificate or a diploma, or you can opt for a program that lasts for two years, and you will receive an associate degree. Either way, make sure you choose a medical assistance school that offers internship as part of their MA training program.
|
|
