| Medical assistants are one of the high growth jobs in | | | | blood, changing sutures and dressing, and keeping |
| the healthcare industry. If you are thinking about | | | | examination rooms clean and tidy. |
| embarking on a new career, you might want to | | | | Medical assistants can move up in their careers by |
| consider being a medical assistant. The health care | | | | specializing in particular healthcare areas. There are |
| field is growing on a daily basis, mainly to due to | | | | also advancement opportunities by moving up to office |
| advances in medicine. There is always a great need | | | | manager. With additional certification and education, |
| for medical assistants in hospitals, medical centers and | | | | medical assistants can advance to other health care |
| clinics. The aging of America's largest generation is | | | | jobs such as nursing. Medical assistants with further |
| also pushing the need for additional medical assistants | | | | formal training and current job experience are great |
| over the next several years. | | | | candidates for career advancement. The U.S. |
| Medical Assistants are responsible for administrative | | | | Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that medical |
| and clinical tasks. These assistants are responsible | | | | assisting will be one of the fastest growing jobs on |
| for keeping health care offices running smoothly. The | | | | average through 2014. This is due to the increasing |
| duties of medical assistants vary from office to | | | | use of medical assistants across the healthcare |
| office. Some of the administrative duties | | | | industry. The earnings of medical assistants vary, |
| performed by medical assistants include answering | | | | depending on their experience, skill level, and location. |
| phones and scheduling appointments, updating and filing | | | | Median annual earnings of medical assistants were |
| patient medical records, filling out insurance forms, and | | | | $24,610 in May 2004. |
| billing. There are also clinical duties to be performed | | | | Now is the time to get in on the ground floor of this |
| by medical assistants. These duties can vary | | | | fast growing occupation. Healthcare employers |
| according to differences in state law. Some of the | | | | prefer graduates of formal programs in medical |
| tasks performed medical assistants include taking vital | | | | assisting. Such programs are offered in |
| signs, preparing patients for examinations, or assisting | | | | vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary |
| doctors with examinations. Medical assistants also | | | | vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. |
| collect specimens, administer medication as authorized | | | | Postsecondary programs usually last 1-year, resulting in |
| by a physician and telephone prescriptions to | | | | a certificate or diploma, or 2 years, resulting in an |
| pharmacies. They are also responsible for taking | | | | associate degree. |