It’s not a secret that the US healthcare system is experiencing serious shortages of medical professionals in many specialties and professions. That shortage extends to medical assistants, who play an essential role in healthcare. In a 2022 survey, 44% of medical practices reported that medical assistant positions were among the most difficult for them to fill with qualified employees, according to the Medical Group Management Association, a membership association for leaders of medical practices.
Medical assistants are frequently the first healthcare professionals patients encounter at healthcare providers. They perform important clinical and administrative work that helps ensure patients have a positive experience.
Now is a great time to become a medical assistant. But what’s it like to work in the field, and how long does it take to become a medical assistant? For anyone who is considering completing a medical assistant training program, it’s helpful to learn more about the profession and what it takes to become a medical assistant.
Medical Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Medical assistants perform a wide range of duties that help patients’ receive the healthcare they need. A good way to understand their responsibilities is to separate them into two categories: clinical responsibilities and administrative responsibilities.
The clinical responsibilities of medical assistants can include duties such as:
- Obtaining patients’ medical histories
- Helping patients prepare for physical exams
- Assisting physicians when they conduct exams
- Obtaining specimens for laboratory work
- Immunizing patients
- Performing electrocardiograms
- Administering wound care
- Providing patients with information about their medical treatments
Medical assistants’ administrative work can include duties such as:
- Handling telephone calls
- Greeting patients when they arrive
- Maintaining medical records
- Performing insurance-related work (for example, completing insurance forms)
- Scheduling patients’ appointments
- Coordinating with labs or hospitals for patients to obtain additional services
- Managing tasks related to patient billing
Medical assistants work under the supervision of a physician. While most medical assistants work in ambulatory care facilities such as clinics and physicians’ offices, some work in hospitals. Medical assistants usually work a traditional 40-hour week, but they can sometimes work on a part-time basis or on weekends or evenings.
Medical Assistant Skills
Those thinking about investing the time it takes to become a medical assistant should consider the types of skills required for the job. Medical assistants need to be skilled in areas such as:
- Performing clinical duties. For example, medical assistants need to be able to take patient vital signs, use medical equipment, follow healthcare protocols, and in some states give vaccinations.
- Communicating with others. Medical assistants benefit from being able to converse clearly with patients and other members of patients’ healthcare teams.
- Demonstrating empathy. Along with communicating well with patients, medical assistants need to be able to express empathy and support to build strong relationships with their patients that can help them receive effective healthcare.
- Using computers. Medical assistants need to be able to use computers efficiently to perform work such as updating medical records and filling out insurance forms.
- Managing their time. Medical assistants need good time management skills to ensure that they minimize patients’ wait times and keep the office running smoothly.
How Long Is a Medical Assistant Training Program?
Completing a training program in medical assisting typically takes a year or less. That time frame can vary depending on whether a student attends on a full-time or part-time basis.
Medical assistant training programs include both classroom and lab instruction that provides students with the real world, hands-on experience that is essential to entering the field.
In addition, most medical assistant training programs include an on-site externship to gain real world experience prior to completion of their program. In many cases, students who perform well during their externship may be offered employment by the externship site upon graduation from their program.
Medical Assistant Requirements
People who want to become medical assistants need to satisfy certain requirements. Specifically, they need to:
- Earn a high school diploma. In lieu of earning a high school diploma, an individual also can pass the General Educational Development (GED) test.
- Complete a medical assistant training program. These programs provide students with vital instruction in areas such as medical terminology, clinical and lab techniques, anatomy and physiology, and medical office procedures and insurance. They also offer externships that give students valuable experience working in the field.
- Obtain an optional medical assistant certification. Although they are not always required, earning a certification is a great way for medical assistants to demonstrate their expertise in the profession. Examples of certifications include:
- The American Association of Medical Assistants’ certified medical assistant, or CMA (AAMA), certification
- The National Healthcareer Association’s certified clinical medical assistant, or CCMA, certification
Benefits of Medical Assistant Training
The time students spend in medical assistant training is time well spent. Qualifying to work as a medical assistant can provide individuals with a range of benefits. For example, they can:
- Join an in-demand field. Through 2032, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 14% job growth for medical assistants. That growth rate significantly exceeds the BLS’s projected growth rate of 3% for all occupations. The BLS estimates that 114,600 medical assistant job openings will be available each year through 2032.
- Work in a helping profession. Each day, medical assistants get to help patients who are receiving healthcare services, which can be a fulfilling way to make a living.
- Enjoy performing a variety of tasks. Medical assistants complete a wide range of tasks throughout their day and generally are not performing the same task all day long.
- Experience different types of healthcare. Working as a medical assistant is a great way to get experience working with different types of healthcare providers.
- Become a healthcare professional relatively quickly and start earning a living. Getting medical assisting training takes less time than earning a college degree and provides people with a shorter path to start working in healthcare and earning a salary.
Taking the Time to Become a Medical Assistant Can Place You on a Fulfilling Career Path
Responsible for a variety of tasks that help patients have a positive healthcare experience, medical assistants enjoy meaningful and interesting work in a growing field. If medical assisting appeals to you, you should explore the Fortis medical assistant training program to learn how it can help you achieve your career goals. Offering students the knowledge and skills required to begin working in healthcare, our program could help you set the stage for a solid career. Take the first step toward your career in medical assisting today.
Recommended Readings
Best Places to Work as a Medical Assistant
The Critical Collaboration Between Medical Assistants and Physicians
The Important Role of a Medical Assistant