Medical assistants do all routine clerical and clinical duties to make sure the efficiency of physicians, podiatrists and other clinical offices. Medical assistants are not the same as the physician assistants. Physician assistant’s job includes examining, finding out diseases and giving out utmost patient care with the supervision of a physician. A lot of factors influence the duties of medical assistants like the location of the practice as well as the doctor’s area of specialty. In practices where it is small, these medical assistants are called as generalists with both administrative and medical responsibilities. Including on their job is to report to physicians or managers. But on the other hand, those who are working in larger practices specialize in some areas and supervised by department administrators. Other responsibilities include greeting patients, answering telephone calls, maintaining medical records, filling up forms, making patient appointments, managing billing and setting up hospital admissions.
Job Overview
Some states have given different clinical duties like recovering patient’s records and history, checking vital signs, preparing and reporting laboratory specimens and cleaning up medical supplies. Medical assistants also instruct and keep the patients informed on treatments like diets and medications, preparing medicines and giving it to the patients. They also put forward prescriptions to the pharmacy, prepare patients for special procedures like x-rays and ECG and changes dressings. It is also a part of their job to organize and maintain the instruments and the materials and make sure that examining rooms are clean after use. Those medical assistants who have specializations perform more duties than the regular medical assistants. Like the ophthalmic medical assistants, their job is to perform eye care. They also assist the patient during basic contact care. They also give medications for the eyes and give eye dressings. For podiatric medical assistants, they assist during surgery. Medical assistants work in different areas. Some work in doctors’ offices and some in private or public hospitals. Some also worked in specialized health care institutions.
Medical Assistant Requirements
So what are the requirements needed when thinking of becoming a medical assistant? First, having a high school diploma is the basic requirement when entering the field of medical assistants. Having a medical assistant education is really important since most employers wanted to hire those who have received a formal training program from an accredited school. There are schools that offer a one year program and when completed can give a person a certificate. Community colleges also offer a two year program which is much better needed when assisting doctors in examining the patients. When enrolled in a medical assistant school, the program includes lectures on subjects like anatomy, physiology, medical terminologies and a lot more. During the course of the program, students are taught on how to do laboratory techniques and procedures. It might include the basics for massage therapy for instance. And practical trainings are being done on computer and accounting aspects. After finishing the program, having a certification and registration may not be one of the requirements but having this will give the person a good standing.
Medical Assistant Salary
Medical assistant’s salary is influenced by a lot of factors which is training, experience and the location of the work. Medical assistants having an associate or two year program degree can earn more than those who have no training. The average salary of medical assistants is $25,000 a year but this still depends on the State where one is working.
