Medical Assistant Education

Medical assistants jobs are growing in all the health care sectors. Though the medical assistants can be trained on the job, the employers look for candidates with formal medical assistant education. Formal education program trains the students to assist the physicians in patients' treatment and routine office tasks too. Medical assistants work with nurses and other members of the health care team for examination and treatment of the patients.

Medical Assistant Education Programs

The medical assisting education programs enable the graduates to apply for the entry level positions as medical assistants. Formal education programs for medical assisting are offered in vocational schools, junior and community colleges. Those who want to pursue medical assistant education, have two options. They can either go for 9 months or 1 year certificate and diploma program or for 2 year associate degree programs. Community and career colleges offer both of these. Students willing to advance their education, can go for bachelor's or master's degree. The credits earned in associate program would help in earning the degree. Medical assistant education is imparted through lectures, practical exercises in the medical and computer laboratories.

The courses taught in these programs include anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, clinical procedures, word processing, transcription, basic laboratory procedures, radiology procedures, pharmacology and emergency medical office management. All training programs give exposure to the medical environment through both classroom and hands on clinical training. Some vocational schools and community colleges offer externships along with the training. The externships provide real world experience to the students. You may also find accredited medical assisting programs that offer opportunities for internships in physicians’ offices, hospitals and other health care facilities.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) are authorized to accredit programs in medical assisting.

Medical Assistant Certification

It is not compulsory for the medical assistants to take certification examination but they may voluntarily take the exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants to become a Certified Medical Assistant. Also, some states have made the certification mandatory before the medical assistant performs certain tasks like taking x-rays.

Clinical duties of a medical assistant include preparing patients for examination or treatment, checking blood pressure, pulse and temperature and other vital signs, administering medication, assisting the physician, performing phlebotomy and assisting medical laboratory procedures and electrocardiograms, taking x-rays, sterilizing equipments. Administrative duties include scheduling and receiving patients, maintaining medical records, handling telephone calls, and assuming responsibility for billing, collections, and insurance claims.

Medical assistants should be neat and well groomed as they deal with the patients directly. A medical assistant performs administrative, technical and clinical tasks. Good manual dexterity is required to become a good medical assistant.

There are diverse career opportunities available for a medical assistant. He can be promoted as office manager or handle administrative support occupations. After a good industry experience, one may also teach medical assisting.

Georgia Medical Institute is one of many schools offering Medical Assistant training. Please check with them directly for accurate information.