Why Become a Medical Assistant in South Florida?

Healthcare is a wide-open field with plenty of job opportunities, so why choose medical assisting?

It’s Secure

More than 70 million Baby Boomers are set to retire in the next few years, many in sunny states like Florida. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19-percent rise in demand for medical assistants in the coming decade, so vocational school graduates can rest assured that the skills they learn today will remain valuable in the future.

At a time when once-secure jobs are becoming obsolete due to technology, training in a field that always requires a human touch provides a measure of job security. And in retirement havens like Florida, worries about unemployment could be a distant memory.

Lots of Opportunities in Sarasota

With the growing demand for medical assistants in Sarasota, many of the medical groups, hospitals and facilities are reaching out for candidates to fill their positions. Organizations like Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Medix, MaxHealth, HCA Healthcare, Premier Dermatology, and the Sarasota office of the State of Florida. With a diploma in medical assistant, you will be ahead of the competition when vying for these career opportunities.

Training is Fast and Lifestyle-Friendly

Some careers in healthcare take years to train for. But full-time medical assisting students can be out of the classroom and earning money in months. For adults with responsibilities and bills to pay, it’s an ideal way to launch a career without being out of the workforce too long.

It’s Rewarding

Life is too short to not feel gratified by what you do. Everyone wants their work to have a lasting impact, and there’s no better way than being employed in a field dedicated to the service of others. Medical assistants make a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. If you’re a people person, you’ll enjoy the personal connections you make, and at the end of the day, it’s something you’ll feel good about.

Work a Regular Schedule

Hospitals never sleep, so most staff work weekend, holiday and on-call rotations. But more than 85-percent of medical assistants work in doctor’s offices, the majority of which still keep a regular Monday-Friday schedule. You can work full-time and take advantage of school hours while having evenings, Saturdays and Sundays to study.

It’s Exciting

If you have an aptitude for science and enjoy learning about the latest in healthcare advances, being a medical assistant gives you a front-row seat. You’ll work with cutting-edge technology every day, providing the best in care while being the first to know about new developments.

Days are fast paced, but you’ll rarely be bored. Graduates can work as generalists, making the most of their wide-ranging skills. Or choose a position with a distinctly clinical or administrative focus. Students with an appreciation for a particular branch of medicine can look for jobs with specialists. It’s refreshing to have options.

Work Hours Are Flexible

To meet demand, more Sarasota employers are offering flexible work hours to attract quality applicants. Full-time, part-time and shared positions are increasingly available. And in Florida where the population of seniors is so high, there are positions to meet virtually anyone’s needs.

How Do You Become a Medical Assistant?

Medical assisting students can choose from either a degree or diploma program but getting a diploma might be a better value. Education is focused and the program is intense, but in less than a year, you’ll qualify for the same jobs as medical assistants with associate degrees. Florida Technical College offers safe, flexible, affordable training options.

What Do You Learn in a Medical Assisting Program?

Medical assisting programs give students the tools to be successful in an entry-level position. Topics include:

Medical Terminology

Healthcare professionals have a language of their own, so to be successful working in a medical environment, understanding the jargon is essential. It’s not difficult once you understand how terms are constructed.

The medical terminology curriculum will help you dissect words according to their basic parts. You’ll learn the definitions of root words, prefixes and suffixes so that you can interpret what complex terms mean without having to memorized volumes of information.

Medical Office Procedures

Healthcare is a highly regulated field. Offices are bound by rules and regulations even students with clerical experience may not understand, it’s a different world. Since a medical assistant’s responsibilities are part clinical and part administrative, a general overview of office procedures is a must. Few staff members will have as much exposure to different departments within a practice as medical assistants. Courses cover the basics from filing and data entry to security and customer service practices.

Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy and physiology, the study of how the human body is made and how it works, is the basis of a medical assistant’s clinical practice. There’s an element of it in everything you do.

Classes cover the 12 major body systems and how they work together. You’ll learn about their normal function, common pathophysiologies and how they’re treated, including an overview of pharmacology. This will lay the foundation for the remainder of your training.

Laboratory Procedures

A significant part of a medical assistant’s responsibilities is related to the laboratory. The goal of the course is to ensure students master the technical skills necessary to assist with clinical procedures and diagnostic testing. You’ll practice tasks on simulator and peers, such as:

• Taking vital signs
• Giving injections
• Removing sutures and staples
• Dressing dry wounds
• Obtaining biological samples
• Phlebotomy
• Processing blood
• Performing electrocardiograms

You’ll also learn to identify medical equipment including surgical instruments. It’s not uncommon for medical assistants to help doctors with minor, in-office procedures. Infection control practices are covered, and you’ll be introduced to sterilization equipment.

Health Information Resources

Health information courses cover electronic health records (EHR) and how they’re used to store and retrieve data. Students learn about the HIPAA regulations governing patient privacy and how sensitive medical records are handled. You’ll also discover how medical information drives quality metrics and supports healthcare professionals’ decision-making.

Medical Coding

Medical coding is a type of shorthand used to condense data on insurance forms. Without it, a simple claim could be pages long. As a medical assistant, you may assist directly with claims or code clinical forms so billing staff knows who to bill. In this course, you’ll learn about the three primary coding systems, including:

ICD-10 – the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, has been used worldwide since 1977 to classify medical disorders. Codes are alphanumeric sequences used for billing and by the global health authorities for disease surveillance.

CPT – Common Procedural Terminology codes are five-digit numbers describing surgical procedures and diagnostic tests. The American Medical Association developed this system in the 1960s for data collection and reimbursement purposes.

HCPCS – Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, was developed in 1983 for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services but is used by other insurers as well. Seventeen classifications cover billing for medical support services and products like durable medical equipment

Medical Billing and Insurance

Most medical bills in the United States are paid for by insurance companies. But there are hundreds of private policies available plus government programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and workers’ compensation.

The financial health of the practices medical assistants work for depends on a healthy cash flow, so timely reimbursement is crucial. This class offers a closer look at billing and insurance procedures and helps you understand your role.

Externships

Vocational schools have state-of-the-art training equipment, but there’s no substitute for real-world practice. During your last semester of training, you will participate in an externship, a short, off-site work experience that familiarize you with typical work environments.

Schools collaborate with private practices in Sarasota and institutions allowing you to work with their staff. You’ll practice your skills with supervision and observe how seasoned medical professionals interact with patients and approach their days.

The goal is to ensure you’re comfortable with your skills before graduating, but it’s also a networking opportunity. You’ll gain confidence while making professional connections that could even lead to a job in Sarasota.

Certification Exam Preparation

Certification is the next logical career step for most medical assistants. It’s not required, but it demonstrates proven skills and makes you a more valuable job applicant. The American Association of Medical Assistants responds to hundreds of daily inquiries about individuals’ credentials, so it’s clear that employers prefer proven candidates.

Certification is obtained by graduating from an accredited vocational program and passing a test that evaluates your competency. Better schools include exam preparation in their curriculum, “teaching to the test,” so graduates are ready to pass with flying colors.

Final Thoughts

Medical assisting is an up-and-coming career with lots of potential, especially in Sarasota, Florida where healthcare consumers are flocking. There’s no better place to learn and begin a new career than where graduates are in high demand.

Interested in learning more about becoming a medical assistant in Sarasota, FL? 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.

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