The Medical Assistant

There are over 819,000 physicians and surgeons in private and group practices, walk-in clinics, alternative health care centers, chiropractor's offices and all sorts of ambulatory emergency and medical care facilities in need of medical assisting staff in the USA. Jobs are posted on well known job sites on the Internet and newspaper wanted ads where vacancies open and close daily. Even hospitals and wellness clinics from coast to coast have a need for well trained medical assistants and are ready to hire them.

Where so many qualified medical assistants are graduating from formal training programs, only to find themselves competing with their peers for available medical assistant jobs, obtaining medical assistant certification can make a world of a difference. In these days and time being a certified professional takes on a whole new meaning. Job offer upon job offer posted on well known job sites, such as Monster.com and Indeed.com facilities are seeking a medical assistant that is either experienced and registered, or certified. Below are examples of currently open medical assistant positions that need to be filled:

• Mount Carmel: Current national certification in Medical Assisting or an associate's degree in Medical Assisting strongly preferred.
  
• Miles City Clinic: Certified or Registered Medical Assistant preferred. Six months experience as a Medical Assistant preferred.
  
• Hawaii Pacific Health: Certified Medical Assistant through the AAMA. Six months medical assistant experience
  
• Excela Health: Current Registration or Certification (CMA) to practice as a medical assistant in the state of Pennsylvania
  
• Sutter Health: National or CA certification (AAMA, AMT,CCBMA) required at time of hire or must be obtained within 6 months of hire as a condition of employment.
  
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital: Medical Assistant certification is strongly preferred.
  
• John C. Lincoln Health Network: Successful passing of a medical assistant examination administered by either the American Association of Medical Assistants or the American Medical Technologists, or 1-2 years Medical Assistant experience.

Most of today's vocational training institutions and community colleges are heeding the call and gear their health career and medical assistant programs toward their own preferred certification organization with which they have partnered or an agreement. Showing in your medical assistant resume that you have successfully graduated from your formal medical assistant training program could not only positively influence the time it takes for you to land your fist medical assistant job but also positively affect the medical assistant salaries potential employers will offer you to pay.

Doctors value medical assistants for the value they bring to the office and their ability for problem-solving and decision-making which lets them focus directly on their patient's medical needs and health concerns without having to worry about the medical office's daily operational and administrative tasks. Medical assistants bring knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures and strategies to the table and are:

• Active listeners — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Effective communicators — Talking to others to convey information effectively
• Socially aware "people persons" — Being aware of others reactions and understanding why they react
• Service providers — Actively looking for ways to satisfy and help people
• Good monitors — Monitoring other individuals, or processes to make improvements or take corrective action

The medical assistant's focus lies on optimizing patient flow, scheduling appointments, verifying patient's health insurance benefits and referrals and maintaining accounting and banking records. The same medical assistant is also trained to remove sutures, change dressings and collect laboratory specimens. Despite of these high expectations, time pressures and demanding work load most medical assistants enjoy what they do, finding their jobs intellectually stimulating, meaningful and rewarding.

Where Do Medical Assistants Work?

Medical assistants are usually employed in doctor's offices, group practices, clinics and hospitals. According to the American Hospital Association there are 5,795 hospitals registered in the United States. Many of these hospitals also own and operate urban and rural ambulatory outpatient care centers and clinics where they employ physicians and medical assistant staff to support them.

Can Medical Assistants Work in Hospitals?

The answer is yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 13 percent of medical assistants in the USA work in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities and the remainder works in other healthcare industries, such as outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities. These medical assistants employed by hospitals, just like their counter-parts in private practices, are required to work under the direct supervision of a doctor.

While the hospital is the employer and assigns medical assistants to the physicians working for them, it becomes the physician's responsibility to supervise all clinical activities of the medical assistant assigned to them.

Medical Assistant Pay 

Medical assistant's pay is influenced by the type of education and vocational training, experience and professional credentials as well as location and the type of medical practice and special technical and clinical skills required. Another important factor is how well individuals present themselves during the interview and their ability to negotiate during the hiring process. All this can make a big difference in the medical assistant's take home pay and benefits. Check out medical assistant training programs and online courses available at community colleges and other health care schools in your area.

Remember, that when you fill out your job application or submit your resume online to add all your previous and present skills, knowledge and qualifications so that it matches the advertised medical assistant job description as closely as possible. Emphasize the type of medical assistant training, CPR and other certifications, and any special achievements you have accomplished and make it a point to mention that you are confident and a good candidate for the medical assistant position advertised.