Have you just graduated from high school or you’re looking for a career change? Have you considered becoming a medical assistant? A medical assistant has an important role in helping improve a patient’s health outcome in the medical setting. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a medical assistant, read on to discover more about this vitally important role within the medical field.
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
A medical assistant performs important tasks within a clinical setting. They greet patients who arrive for appointments and enter their information into the computer. Medical assistants also measure vital signs, record health history, and assist physicians with patients in the examination room. Medical assistants can be found in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and health care facilities, including ophthalmologist offices, podiatrist offices, as well as the healthcare administration field.
What are a Medical Assistant’s Roles in a Clinical Setting?
Medical assistants have an important role within a clinical setting. From taking vital signs and sterilizing equipment and everything in between, there is never a dull moment when you are working as a medical assistant.
Taking Vital Signs
Medical assistants are trained to take vital signs including four which they are trained to administer. Upon arrival, medical assistants take a patient’s temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and heart rate. These preliminary readings can help the physician in determining any health concerns for the patient. Because these four vital signs can be affected by diseases and infections, these readings are helpful in determining if the patient is going through an acute medical crisis and requires emergency medical care.
Keeping Patient Notes and Charts Up to Date
Another important task of medical assistants in a clinical setting is the proper upkeep and filing of medical notes and patient charts. Decades ago, charts were kept as paper copies and filed away in a separate area of the clinic. With advances in technology, this method of filing has since disappeared and replaced by electronic health record systems. These electronic health records (EHR) are a more convenient way of filing patient information and greatly reduces the possibility of a patient’s records becoming lost or misplaced.
Ensuring that Patients Are Comfortable and Educated
One of the roles that medical assistants perform is to ensure that patients are comfortable while in the medical office. This can include listening to a patient’s chief complaint at the beginning of an appointment, educating them about the procedure or treatment and properly communicating when clinical tasks are completed
Patient education is one of the most vital tasks a medical assistant undertakes. Patients who have just been diagnosed with a life changing condition may need vital education and information to help them successfully manage their condition. Medical assistants may impart vital information such as dietary restrictions, how to correctly take new medications, additional significant symptoms to look out for, and other important topics concerning a patient’s medical condition.
Keeping Medical Equipment Examination Rooms and Medical Suites Sterilized
Maintaining a properly sanitized and sterilized physician’s office has recently become more important than ever. Sanitizing rooms and sterilizing surgical instruments is necessary to keep diseases and infections from spreading throughout the clinical setting. Medical assistants play a pivotal role in reducing the spread of disease by adhering to medical standards when sanitizing an examination room, as well as thoroughly cleaning all surfaces and properly disposing of biohazardous material.
Adhering to HIPAA Guidelines
Because medical assistants work directly with patients and support staff within a clinical setting, they must adhere to HIPAA laws and guidelines. All healthcare professionals must abide by a code of ethics. While many career fields have their own unique ethical standards to uphold, this is even more important for those who work in the medical field.
HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This protects a patient’s right to privacy within health care, personal health information, and the electronic health record system. Everyone who works within the field of healthcare must abide by this ethical code. Violating a patient’s rights to privacy is a serious breach of conduct and can lead to a loss of license or fines.
Stocking Supplies for Doctors and Nurses
To maintain an efficient health care facility, all medical supplies must be continuously restocked to avoid any delay in health care services. Medical assistants are responsible for the continuous ordering and restocking of supplies including sanitary papers, disinfectant sprays, antibacterial soaps, latex gloves, syringes, gowns, pillows, sheets, towels, dressings, gauze, and antiseptics. Medical assistants must also know how to properly identify and utilize these items when requested by a physician. This is particularly important when a medical assistant is gathering items for a physician to use during surgical procedures.
How To Become a Medical Assistant
An easy way to start on your career path towards becoming a medical assistant is by entering into a medical assistant program at a vocational school. You can complete this program in months, rather than years and start a new career in healthcare as a medical assistant.
What are the Benefits of a Formal Education?
There are many benefits to receiving a formal education to become a medical assistant. Many that you may not receive with on-the-job training alone. From getting a well-rounded education to the ability to make mistakes without catastrophic consequences, you can benefit from a formal education and save your future employer the time and money for on-the-job training.
Receive a Comprehensive Well-Rounded Curriculum
While some medical assistants only receive on-the-job training, the comprehensive and well-rounded curriculum you will receive while enrolled in a vocational program far outweighs the amount of training you would receive from going straight into a clinical role. Not only will you receive vital knowledge that enhances your skill set and advances your career, but you will also learn about anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, office administration, pharmacology, clinical courses, phlebotomy, patient care, and basic surgical assisting techniques. Each one of these courses is designed to help you develop the knowledge necessary to be successful in real life clinical situations.
Receive Plenty of On-the-Job Training Throughout Your Coursework
Although you could choose to go straight into a medical assistant position, you will not likely receive the amount of training you should get to fully develop your skillset and build your confidence. This could lead to being unsure of what tasks you are expected to perform, as well as costly or harmful mistakes. When you choose to only receive training while on-the-job, your supervisor or team lead may not have the time to properly train you and acclimate you to the facility’s environment. A lack of adequate training and the stress that comes along with it can cause burnout.
When you choose to attend a vocational program before seeking out a position as a medical assistant, you are allowing yourself the appropriate amount of time you need to grow and understand your role in a clinical setting. This prepares you for a long and successful career in the medical field and increase your level of job satisfaction.
Students Have Enough Time to Correct Mistakes
The amount of hands-on training that students receive when enrolled in a vocational program is one of the main reasons you should consider enrolling. You will get the opportunity to practice your skills and effectively communicate with actual patients. Because of this you are given ample time to correct any mistakes you may make along the way. It’s important to fix these mistakes while still enrolled in a vocational program as opposed to addressing these issues in a real-life situation where a patient’s health may be at risk.
Receive Education from Talented Industry Experienced Instructors
Not only will you enjoy the opportunity to receive a well-rounded education, but you will also receive knowledge from experienced instructors. These instructors have relevant experience and have dealt with a wide variety of situations. They will impart their knowledge onto you and be willing to talk about these experiences throughout the vocational program. Those who choose to simply receive on-the-job training will not have the ability to develop close working relationships with their instructors because of the fast paced and dynamic nature of working within a clinical setting.
Access to Career Services
One of the biggest struggles for graduates trying to find a job is finding available positions. By enrolling in a vocational program, you will have the opportunity to work with the career services department at the vocational school. Career service will help you write an outstanding resume, practice your job interviewing skills, and discover new job leads as well as open positions. With the connections you will make while working with the career services staff, you are much more likely to land the position of your dreams once you graduate from the vocational program.
Make Connections and Life-Long Friends
If you are interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, this probably means that you are passionate about helping others. Most people who are drawn to this career field have a caring disposition and are focused on helping to improve the quality of life and well-being of others. By enrolling in a medical assistant program, you will meet likeminded individuals who are passionate about the same things you are. Not only can you meet people from all walks of life while enrolled in a training program, but you’ll also develop friendships that may last a lifetime.
Final Thoughts
Enrolling in a medical assistant program is a great opportunity to help others and make a difference in your community. Not only does this opportunity allow you to expand your career opportunities, but it will provide you with stability to enjoy a higher quality of life. Take that first step towards a brighter future and enroll in a medical assistant program today.
Meridian College offers hands–on Medical Assistant training from experienced school faculty who know how to prepare you for the daily challenges you’ll face on the job. From assisting doctors with patients to important administrative tasks, our experienced Medical Assistant program teachers will train you for a rewarding new career.
In addition to receiving training from school instructors with real-world experience, you will also complete a school externship in a physician’s office, clinic, or related healthcare facility under the supervision of a physician, nurse, or health services professional to further develop your skills.
Contact Meridian College today to learn more about becoming a medical assistant.