Infographic: What Does It Take to Be A Leading Medical Assistant?

With  National Medical Assistant Week approaching (October 19-23), we think it’s only appropriate that we delve into the lives of Medical Assistants all around the nation.

NHCPS, in fact, loves medical assistants and we just had to show the love during this dedicatory time of the year.

The making of a great medical assistant begins with what several medical careers start with: caring for others. So, you have compassion, motivation, are a great listener and are ready to begin your training as a medical assistant. Well, that’s not all it takes. In order to be a great and successful medical assistant, you also have to have some of the following traits:

• Efficient multi-tasker
• Analytical and technical
• Great people and communication skills
• Working management skills
• The ability to work independently
• Capability of keeping up with the shifting medical world
• And much, much more!

Now that we are all aware of the type of person it takes to be a medical assistant, let’s take a look at what their day-to-day life actually
looks like.

Daily Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

In the office, a medical assistant may be responsible for administrative
duties, which may include:

• Answering phone calls
• Keeping files and updating patient records
• Scheduling appointments
• Arranging for laboratory services, tests and results
• Greeting patients and answering initial questions
• Handling insurance information, billing and pharmacy information

Long story short, medical assistants take care of a lot of the necessary stuff that makes the hospital or healthcare facility run.  Hooray Medical Students!

Now for the fun portion of their duties:

• Prepping examination rooms (and the patients that come along with it!)
  
• Removing sutures, stitches and changing bandages
• Educating patients about to undergo a procedure
• Handling prescription medication information
• Drawing blood
• Reporting medical history
• Performing basic laboratory tests
• And much, much more

If it is not obvious, be sure to understand that these are not all of the tasks and traits that a medical assistant must have. Medical assistants are trained to work in an extraordinarily efficient manner and to understand a multitude of duties.

Medical assistants work in a variety of environments, these include (but of course, are not limited to): clinics, hospitals, outpatient facilities and surgery centers.

Career Outlook and the Future of Medical Assisting

Medical assistants made on average $29,370 in 2012, but this varies greatly depending on location and specifics of the practice the individual is working for and with.

If you’re considering a career as a medical assistant, your future is looking quite bright! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of medical assistant jobs from the years of 2012-2022 is expected to grow about 29 percent. That’s much faster than the average anticipated growth (hurrah for opportunity!)

So, during National Medical Assistant Week this year…Keep calm and thank a medical assistant!