In healthcare facilities across Tennessee, medical assistants handle a number of important responsibilities. On the clinical side, they record patients’ medical histories, take their vital signs, and give them medications. On the administrative side, they schedule appointments, file insurance forms, and order medical supplies.
Medical assistants are in demand in Tennessee. Attending a medical assisting program in Cookeville, TN, can prepare individuals for a career in this growing field.
What Is a Medical Assisting Program?
Medical assisting programs offer career-focused training in patient care, medical office administration, and clinical support. Medical assisting programs typically take around one year to complete and award graduates a certificate or a diploma.
The duties of a medical assistant include taking blood pressure readings, assisting physicians during patients’ exams, preparing specimens for lab tests, and interviewing patients. Medical assistants also manage administrative tasks that range from maintaining electronic health records to inventorying medical supplies.
Medical assisting programs teach students the skills necessary to perform these tasks.
After completing a medical assisting program, graduates are qualified for entry-level roles as clinical medical assistants, administrative medical assistants, medical clerks, or patient care technicians. They can also pursue a professional credential to become a certified medical assistant.
With experience, medical assistants can move into more advanced roles, such as a medical office manager position, or they may choose to pursue additional education to become a nurse.
What Will You Learn in a Medical Assisting Training Program?
Medical assisting programs provide a combination of clinical and administrative training. While studying medical terminology, pharmacology, and medical office administration, students also gain skills in patient care and medical assisting. Training programs incorporate hands-on learning through supervised clinical experiences to prepare students to enter the workforce when they graduate.
Individuals who are interested in applying to the medical assisting program at Fortis must have a high school diploma and achieve a minimum score on the Wonderlic SLE test to qualify.
Clinical Training
The clinical training provided in a medical assisting program emphasizes patient care and safety. Students strengthen their abilities through classroom study and hands-on clinical experiences.
Medical assisting programs train students in the following clinical skills:
Interviewing patients and recording their medical histories
Communicating with patients about their medical procedures and treatments
Preparing specimens and performing lab tests
Assisting physicians and nurses during appointments
Recording accurate vital sign measurements
Administrative Training
Many medical assistants specialize in office administration. The administrative training in medical assisting programs focuses on the tasks performed in healthcare facilities.
Medical assisting programs train students to perform the following administrative tasks:
Checking patients in and scheduling their appointments
Filing insurance forms and coordinating with insurers on billing
Maintaining up-to-date medical records for patients
Restocking medical and office supplies
Coordinating with other medical facilities to provide patients with services
Medical Assisting Skills Training
Medical assisting programs also encourage students to develop the personal skills they will need to work in healthcare. Key skills include:
Communication skills: When interacting with patients and other healthcare providers, medical assistants need effective communication and interpersonal skills.
Analytical abilities: Medical assistants must evaluate medical charts, follow instructions from physicians and nurses, and update health records, which requires strong analytical skills.
Attention to detail: Whether they are taking vital signs, updating medical charts, or scheduling appointments, medical assistants need to be able to employ a detail-oriented approach.
Compassion and patience: Medical assistants help patients who are experiencing injuries and illnesses, which requires them to have empathy, compassion, and patience.
What Can You Do With Medical Assisting Training in Cookeville, TN?
Medical assistants are in demand in Tennessee, with thousands of job openings projected annually. After completing the Fortis medical assisting program in Cookeville, graduates can pursue a career as a medical assistant in a doctor’s office, hospital, outpatient care facility, or other healthcare setting.
With a medical assisting diploma, medical assistants can also consider earning a professional certification. While Tennessee does not require certification to work as a medical assistant, holding one can lead to more job opportunities.
Common certifications for medical assistants include:
Certified medical assistant (CMA) credential from the American Association of Medical Assistants
Clinical medical assistant certification (CMAC) from the American Medical Certification Association
Registered medical assistant (RMA) credential from the American Medical Technologists
Medical assistants can also choose to specialize in a particular type of medical practice by working in a pediatrician’s office, heart clinic, ophthalmology facility, or another specialized office.
Medical Assistant Job Outlook in Tennessee
Medical assistants benefit from a positive job outlook in Tennessee. An aging population and an increasing demand for medical services is expected to translate to a need for more medical assistants in healthcare facilities.
Nationally, medical assistants are expected to see 15% job growth from 2023 to 2033, which represents much faster than average growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Tennessee, employment of medical assistants is projected to grow by over 23% between 2022 and 2032, according to Projections Central.
Launch Your Medical Assistant Career at Fortis Institute in Cookeville, TN
A career in medical assisting can be a rewarding and fulfilling one. Fortis’ medical assisting program in Cookeville, TN, provides valuable training for those aspiring to work in this field. With its emphasis on direct patient care, office administration, and medical support, the program can help you build the skills you need to work as a medical assistant.
Due to its strong labor market and growing population, Cookeville is a great place to train for a healthcare career. Cookeville Regional Medical Center is one of the largest employers in the region, and trained medical assistants can help meet the region’s healthcare needs.
Contact Fortis today to learn more about the medical assisting program.
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