The medical field continues to grow at a fast rate. Healthcare technology is advancing, more focus is being placed on wellness, and there is an increase in the number of people having access to healthcare.
This is the optimal time to enter the medical profession, and a great place to begin is by becoming a medical assistant.
Take a look at these 5 reasons why medical assisting may be the perfect career for you.
5 Reasons to Become a Medical Assistant
- Fulfilling Career
If you have the passion to help people, becoming a medical assistant will provide daily opportunities to work with patients. In addition, you will provide valuable support to medical professionals, encouraging wellness and helping patients feel better.
- Work in a Variety of Settings
Once you become a medical assistant, you will have options on the type of setting in which you are employed. Family practices, chiropractors, podiatrists, and various physicians need medical assistants. They also work in hospitals and assist with insurance companies and healthcare agencies.
- Choices within Medical Assisting
Medical assistants are cross-trained to perform both administrative and clinical duties. In small practices, medical assistants will be expected to handle both duties. In hospitals or large practices, a medical assistant may focus on one area.
Administrative medical assistants answer phones, schedule patient appointments, order supplies, and fill out insurance forms. They also code patients’ medical information. In hospitals and laboratories, medical assistants work closely with administrators. Administrative MA’s are trained for both the front and back office, which makes them well-rounded.
Clinical medical assistants perform basic lab tests, sterilize medical instruments, prepare patients for x-rays and medical tests, draw blood, and take vital signs. These duties can vary by state law and specific medical offices.
- Job Growth
Medical assistants are one of the nation’s fastest growing careers, with a projected job growth of 29% in the years 2012 – 2022. Compare this to only an 11% job growth rate in almost all other occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics attributes this growth to federal health legislation, which has expanded the number of patients who have access to health insurance and medical care. (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm)
- Career Advancement
In 2012, the median pay for medical assistants was $29,370, with the top 10 percent earning more than $41,570. With over 500,000 medical assisting jobs in the United States, (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm)
there are plenty of opportunities to enter this field. While many medical assistants make this their long-term career, some use medical assisting to begin their journey in the healthcare field. Medical assisting can provide prerequisite training before pursuing a nursing degree or becoming an administrator in a medical setting.
Beckfield College’s Medical Assisting Program
If you think medical assisting is the right career for you, contact Beckfield College to determine which program you would like to pursue. Beckfield College offers both a diploma program and associate degree in medical assisting. Both programs prepare you for certification, helping you to stand out among medical assistant applicants.
Read more about Beckfield College’s Medical Assisting Programs here: