Depending on the size, location, and specialty of the healthcare institution or practice, a medical assistant job description will change. For example, in small clinics, it’s typical for medical assistants to perform a variety of responsibilities, but in large practices, they could focus on only a handful. Typically, a medical assistant’s job description includes clinical and administrative duties.
The demand for assistant medical positions is currently very high. The extraordinary 34 percent growth in assistant medical employment from 2008 to 2018 is predicted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). One of the professions in the United States is increasing due to the booming health care sector.
What a “MA” Does: A Job Description for a Medical Assistant
By carrying out various crucial administrative duties, such as the following, a medical administrator or assistant contributes to the smooth operation of a practice:
Setting up appointments, maintaining and filing patient medical records, conducting billing and quick books, completing insurance paperwork, planning hospital admissions for patients, and taking phone calls are just a few examples.
Additionally, some or all of the following clinical duties may be included in the job description for an assistant medical:
Educating patients about medications and diets, administering medications, authorizing drug refills, drawing blood, changing dressings, and performing other first aid procedures. Collecting and processing laboratory specimens, sterilizing and preparing equipment, taking vital signs, and preparing patients for physical examinations or x-ray procedures.
Every job description for a medical assistant school in Temecula will mention having the knowledge and abilities necessary to carry out the above mentioned duties and having strong interpersonal and communication abilities. In addition, MAs should ideally also be amiable and approachable.
Putting the patient at ease and answering any queries concerning prescriptions or testing are among the duties of the medical administrator or assistant. Patients sometimes don’t want to burden their doctor with too many inquiries because doctors are typically highly busy. Assisting patients understand medical language is part of the assistant medical job description. The medical assistant or administrator’s role is to clarify any instructions given by the doctor to the patient if they are unclear.
Qualifications for the Position of Medical Assistant: Education and Certification
Not all MAs have received formal training in medicine. Some only have high school credentials and have on-the-job training. Others have successfully finished one- or two-year medical administration or assistance programs. Medical administration or helping programs are frequently offered by vocational and technical schools, community colleges, junior colleges, and online educational organizations.
A professional association for medical administrators and assistants will certify or register graduates of these formal training programs. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Association of Medical Technologists are two organizations that offer certification credentials for MAs (AMT). Having your credentials certified or registered is unnecessary, but many businesses favor certified candidates.
Depending on the individual assistant medical job description, other specialized training can be necessary. But, again, depending on the practitioner’s specialty, this will change. For instance, a job description for an ophthalmic assistant can specify that the applicant should be able to do eye muscle tests.
Medical Assistant Job Description: Interpersonal Skills
Medical assistants are knowledgeable in various duties and specialties, as evidenced by the job description above. They must be capable of performing fundamental clinical duties in addition to managing a medical practice. Good people skills are likely to be included in a medical assistant job description today because patients and doctors value them in an assistant.
