Medical assistants help keep doctor’s offices and medical clinics, and other care environments running smoothly. They provide administrative and clinical support, including tasks such as scheduling appointments, updating medical records, and taking patients’ vital signs. In some states, medical assistants also perform laboratory tests and draw blood.
But is the medical assistant career path an entry-level job or a long-term career? Completing a medical assisting training program can help prospective medical assistants enter an in-demand position that can turn into a long-term career.
Why Pursue a Career Path in Medical Assisting?
Demand for medical assistants is strong, and prospective medical assistants can complete a training program in less than one year. That makes medical assisting an attractive career path.
What is a medical assistant? Medical assistants work closely with patients and healthcare professionals. On the clinical side, they prepare patients to meet with physicians, assist physicians during examinations, and give patients instructions. On the administrative side, medical assistants check-in patients, file insurance forms, restock medical supplies, and more.
While some medical assistants assume both clinical and administrative tasks, many medical assisting jobs focus primarily on either clinical or administrative duties.
Is Medical Assisting a Good Entry-Level Job?
As the healthcare field continues to grow, medical assistants benefit from strong employment demand. That makes medical assisting a good entry-level job. Additionally, interested professionals can train to be medical assistants quickly.
Strong Demand
According to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical assistant jobs will grow 14% from 2022 to 2032, representing more than 114,000 openings annually. This job growth is much higher than the projected growth for the U.S. employment market as a whole during that same time. Also, medical assistants report higher demand than other healthcare support occupations, which are expected to see 11% projected job growth.
Fast Route To Career
Many healthcare careers require years of education. But the medical assistant career path can take less than one year. That means students can enter the field quickly as entry-level medical assistants.
Medical assistants generally need a certificate or diploma for most jobs. These medical assistant training programs often take as little as 9-12 months. Some medical assistants choose to pursue a two-year associate degree.
During a training program, students complete coursework in medical terminology, clinical procedures, and laboratory techniques. Programs also incorporate training in electronic health records and medical billing. Learners gain hands-on experience through a practicum or internship.
Professional Certification
Pursuing professional certification can increase a medical assistant’s job opportunities and earning potential.
Organizations such as the National Healthcareer Association and the American Association of Medical Assistants offer certification. Candidates typically must complete a medical assistant program and pass an examination to earn the credential.
Early-career medical assistants can also pursue certification in related areas such as medical billing and coding or health informatics.
Is Medical Assisting a Good Long-Term Career?
Medical assistants are in demand. But is medical assisting a good long-term career path?
The average medical assistant has worked in the field for 9 years. This is according to a 2019 study from the University of Washington of medical assistants who work in Washington state. The study also found 32% of medical assistants had worked in their positions for more than 10 years.
For many medical assistants, the field offers strong long-term career options.
Specialization Options
Moving into a specialized role can mean greater job satisfaction and a higher earning potential. And the long-term medical assistant career path offers many options to specialize.
Medical assistants perform in a variety of settings, with more than half working in doctor’s offices. While some work in family medicine and primary care, they may also work in pediatric offices, cardiology clinics, psychiatric facilities, and oncology clinics.
Diagnostic laboratories, medical research facilities, ophthalmology practices, and universities also employ medical assistants. As medical assistants gain experience, they can pursue specializations that best match their interests and career goals.
Advancement Opportunities
Because of their blend of clinical and administrative skills, medical assistants benefit from many advancement opportunities.
Within medical assisting, experienced professionals can become lead medical assistants, practice managers, or medical office managers. They can also move into more administrative roles such as medical records specialist.
On the clinical side, experience in medical assisting offers strong preparation for roles with greater clinical responsibilities, including certified nurse assistant, licensed practical nurse, and registered nurse. These career paths require additional training.
Low-Stress Healthcare Career
Many healthcare careers report high stress. And while medical assisting can be challenging depending on the work environment, the field reports a below average stress level, according to U.S. News & World Report.
For example, medical assistants typically work fewer nights, evenings, and weekends compared with other healthcare professionals, because they often work in doctor’s offices.
Medical assistants spend much of their time interacting with patients and staff. Those who find social interactions stressful may choose roles with greater administrative and data entry responsibilities, such as medical records specialist.
Train as a Medical Assistant at Fortis
Fortis offers a Medical Assistant training program that can help you launch your career in this in-demand field. Offered at campuses around the country, the medical assisting programs prepare learners for vital healthcare support roles.
Drawing on their professional experience, instructors train learners in both the classroom and the lab. Students build hands-on skills, with an emphasis on compassionate patient care, administrative procedures, and clinical techniques.
Reach out to Fortis today to learn how to enroll in a medical assistant training program.
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The Important Role of a Medical Assistant
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