| There are many career paths that you can take but | | | | A career in the healthcare field is something that you |
| one of the very best areas to explore is medical | | | | should pursue if this is an area that interests you. You |
| assisting. Jobs for a medical assistant are ready and | | | | will perform numerous administrative and clinical duties |
| waiting for you to apply for them! All it takes is the | | | | and it can start you on the road to advancement in |
| right training and a drive to do your best in a medical | | | | other medical careers. Your working environment will |
| environment that will give you years of satisfying work. | | | | be clean and pleasant to work in. You will assume |
| As a medical assistant, you will work in a professional | | | | responsibility for ensuring a patient's comfort and trust |
| office. Your choices are many: General practice, | | | | in the doctor you work for. There are some part-time |
| chiropractic, podiatry, hospital, medical health clinic and | | | | jobs available, but most likely you will be expected to |
| as an assistant in many other medical office settings. | | | | work a 40-hour work week. Some weekend and |
| You will learn many skills, both on the job and at a | | | | evening work may also be expected. |
| qualified medical assistant school. Some of the things | | | | Jobs for a medical assistant are yours for the asking if |
| that you will be expected to do are as follows: answer | | | | you have the right qualifications. You will need at least |
| telephones, greet patients, make appointments, | | | | a high school diploma and most employers expect that |
| process medical billing, work hand-in-hand with hospitals, | | | | you to have graduated from a medical assisting |
| coordinate testing and understand medical records. | | | | program. These programs can be found at local |
| Other important skills that you will be required to have | | | | vocational schools and at community colleges. You |
| are: taking medical histories, assisting during physical | | | | may be required to be certified, meaning that you have |
| examinations, taking vital signs, drawing blood, changing | | | | passed required state examinations. Some employers |
| dressings, removing sutures and performing lab work. | | | | ask that you have taken other state tests showing |
| All of these skills will be learned in a qualified training | | | | that you can perform certain tasks, such as drawing |
| program or on the job. They all require a dedicated | | | | blood and taking x-rays. Occasionally a doctor is willing |
| person who works well with patients and who is willing | | | | to train you on the job but this is not generally |
| to go the extra mile to help others. Compassion is the | | | | practiced today. |
| key to success in this exciting and rewarding field. | | | | |