| A career as a medical assistant will give you a job | | | | duties, which may not be true in a smaller office of let's |
| that is not likely to be affected by fluctuations in the | | | | say three people. Medical assistants are always |
| economy. That's because healthcare is something that | | | | supervised by doctors, other health workers, or office |
| will always be needed. As a medical assistant, you will | | | | managers. |
| help a doctor to care for his or her patients. In that role, | | | | Some of the titles that you may have include Clinical |
| you are likely to perform routine treatments, do lab | | | | Medical Assistant, an Administrative Medical Assistant, |
| tests and help to maintain the office records. | | | | a Medical Receptionist, a Medical Insurance Biller, a |
| The actual duties you will perform as a medical | | | | Medical Bookkeeper or a Laboratory Assistant. You |
| assistant will vary by state law. In some states medical | | | | might work in Physicians' Offices, Offices of Health |
| assistants who have specialized training are allowed to | | | | Practitioners or Outpatient Care Centers. |
| draw blood or take x-rays. In most states, the | | | | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that |
| assistant is expected to take a patient's medical | | | | medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. |
| history, record his or her weight, the pulse rate, and | | | | About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians; 12 |
| blood pressure. They are entrusted with explaining to | | | | percent in public and private hospitals, including inpatient |
| patients what the doctor is about to do, and answering | | | | and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in |
| any questions the patient may have about the | | | | offices of other health practitioners, like chiropractors, |
| examination. During the exam, assistants hand the | | | | optometrists, and podiatrists. There are also medical |
| doctor any medical instruments or medications. They | | | | assistant jobs in outpatient care centers and nursing |
| may also collect lab specimens, and instruct patients | | | | and residential care facilities. |
| about how to take their medicine and how to stay on | | | | The future of employment is bright for medical |
| special diets. After the exam, the assistant tidies up the | | | | assistants. Projected statistics show it is expected |
| room, disposing of used materials, arranging equipment | | | | grow 35-percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than |
| and sterilizing any instruments that were used. | | | | the average for other occupations. Technological |
| In some jobs, assistants may also have clerical | | | | advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the |
| responsibilities, like answering the phones, greeting | | | | American population will see an increased need for all |
| patients, taking them to the exam room and updating | | | | health care workers. |
| their medical records. Many assistants fill out insurance | | | | Gain the skills you will need to enjoy a long career as |
| forms and schedule appointments, arrange for hospital | | | | a medical assistant assistant with a Medical Assistants |
| admissions and lab services. | | | | Degree |
| Some assistants are brought on board to handle billing | | | | If you see yourself and are described by friends as a |
| and bookkeeping for the doctor. But this will really | | | | multi-tasker, a person of many talents, who can stay |
| depend on the size of the doctor's office you work | | | | organized, can communicate well and use your hands |
| for. If it is a large office, the medical assistant will | | | | equally well, a career as a medical assistant may be |
| usually spend only a small amount of time on clerical | | | | for you. |