One of the top careers you can explore in the field of healthcare is becoming a medical assistant. Not only is it a rewarding path, but it is also a career you can start quickly once you get a certification. The Medical Assistant diploma can be earned within ten short months, so you can work on helping people and saving their lives right away.
Can you see this as something you could do? Here are important things to know about the nature of working as a medical assistant and choosing it as a career.
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
A medical assistant is an essential worker in the field of medicine. They are the ones with the training and skills to assist physicians, conduct lab work, suture wounds, take vital signs, and interpret lab results.
In addition to all these responsibilities, a medical assistant is responsible for accomplishing administrative and clinical tasks in hospitals and healthcare facilities. A medical assistant’s duties differ according to the location they are in, their specialty, and the size of the practice.
You have a lot of work to do as a medical assistant, but having an MA diploma can let you explore other jobs aside from the traditional one. Here are some of them:
1. Medical Office Assistant (MOA)
As a medical office assistant, your role is to ensure that all medical practices in your healthcare facility are done correctly and efficiently. You will usually work behind the desk and be tasked with medical billing, accounting, scheduling, and filing insurance claims.
Like a standard medical assistant, your duties can also vary depending on the medical facility’s size and specialization. You can work in hospitals, rehab centers, and nursing homes, among others.
The average hourly wage for a Medical Office Assistant is about $18 per hour, but you can earn as much as $26 per hour if you are in a higher percentile.
2. Electrocardiograph Technician
An EKG Technician or also known as Cardiovascular Technician is responsible for helping diagnose cardiovascular-related conditions. They perform diagnostic tests using electrocardiograms, telemetry monitoring tests, and other specialized laboratory exams.
If you become an EKG technician, you can work in GP offices, in-patient and out-patient facilities, and other healthcare facilities. You can earn $29 per hour, but you can make as much as $46 per hour if you belong in the top 90th percentile.
3. Phlebotomy Technician
If you become a phlebotomy technician, you will work with blood samples from patients or blood donors. You will handle drawing and preparing blood samples for medical examination in laboratories to identify health conditions.
In addition, you are also responsible for explaining procedures, updating records, and preparing laboratory equipment. You will work in hospitals, medical and diagnostic labs, and doctors’ offices.
Similar to an MOA, you can earn $18 an hour but may increase to $24 if you belong to the top 90th percentile.
Final Thoughts
Having a medical assistant diploma is useful because it will let you work in different healthcare specialties. You will not be stuck in just one job. An MA diploma can bring you to many places, and you will develop a wide variety of medical skills.
Medical Career Academy offers medical training classes in multiple healthcare fields. We provide the highest quality education in medical career training to ensure that each student will be confident and skilled in their chosen medical field. If you want to get a medical assistant diploma, call us today, and let’s talk about our available programs.