A Medical Assistant perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of medical doctors, podiatrists, chiropractors, and health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of the medical assistant vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, medical doctors, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.
According to the United States Department of Labor, employment for medical assistants is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants jobs among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with formal training.
The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual earnings of medical assistants were $24,610 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,650 and $28,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34,650.
Medical assisting programs are offered in vocational or technical high schools, jlocal county colleges and online distance education programs. St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants provides a good model of a online program for medical assistants, program details can be viewed at www.medassistant.org.
St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants offers online classes in: Introduction to becoming a Medical Assistant, Medical Terminology, Human Body Planes, Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Office Professionalism, Patient Communication, Medical Records, Basic Medical Law, Scheduling Appointments, Medical Billing and Insurance Claims, Infection Control, Surgical Instruments, Emergency Care, Clinical Equipment, Patient History and Physicals, EKG and Lab Testing, Specimen Collection and Lab Safety, Introduction to Patient Medications.
The sheer number of distance learning and online degrees available is enormous and is growing daily. Similarly the number of schools and institutions that offer online is also expanding rapidly. online programs are often very flexible and allow students to study online at their own pace and convenience, this makes becoming a well trained medical assistant easier now then ever. online as also made medical assistant education more accessible to students who otherwise could not attend older rigid classroom based program. Distance education is an excellent and very affordable way for students to study for a rewarding career as a medical assistant.
In the world of hospitals, clinics, and laboratories, doctors are involved in a lot of serious and intense work. To help them focus on patient care, these individuals require the help of others to take care of some of the fundamental areas of their work. Medical assistants keep the areas around their physicians running smoothly so the physician can better attend to their patients. Medical assistants handle both administrative and clinical duties, such as updating patient charts, arranging services, drawing blood, preparing and sterilizing instruments, among a long list of other things. Though similar, medical assistants are not to be confused with physician assistants -- medical assistants do not diagnose or treat patients, but instead they do their best to assist those who can.
Expansion of the healthcare industry due to technological advancements in medicine and the growing number of people needing medical attention is opening the door to many job prospects to those wishing to join the medical field. With Unitek College, anyone with a drive to learn a new profession in a rapidly-expanding field can become a medical assistant in as few as eight months. The medical assistant course is 20 hours per week, with morning and mid-morning classes, Monday to Friday. There is also an evening class that takes place Monday to Thursday, with Fridays off.
The medical assistant course have six different modules, where students learn the basics of medical assisting, what the job entails, how to assist in various areas such as cardio-pulmonary medicine, OB/GYN exams, pediatric and geriatric exams, and more. They are taught how to fill out claim forms and how to file records and everything else necessary to help prospective medical assistants through their externship. Unitek College is also confident enough in their ability to prepare students through their medical assistant course that they pay all students' certification exam fees. They also offer various forms of financing to help students better afford the classes in order to have a career that could last a lifetime and pay better and be more satisfying than most jobs out there for anyone without a four-year degree.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a Medical Assistant through Unitek College, visit their website at
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Robert D. Thomson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dog Care, Real Estate and Dental Practice. Mark Stout, BSc, MD of St. Augustine Medical Assistant School. Details of distance education program can be viewed at the St. Augustine. Robert D. Thomson's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.
Anthony Kristovich Iii has sinced written about articles on various topics from Forex Guide, Home and Business and Finance. Shannon MargolisIT Marketing CoordinatorArticle Source: The FREE. Anthony Kristovich Iii's top article generates over 301000 views. to your Favourites.