Medical assistants are in high demand in the healthcare field, and you’ll find them serving in a variety of different types of roles. This means that if you’re considering becoming a medical assistant, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. As a medical assistant you might work alongside a doctor in their private clinic, or you might assist treatment teams in a major hospital. The serious responsibilities that you’ll have in this job require you to go through a training and education program. You can expect to learn these important concepts during your time in a medical assistant training program.
Learn the Essentials About the Human Body
The first thing you’ll need is a solid understanding of the human body, it’s systems, and how they all work together. You might have taken an anatomy and physiology class in high school. If so, then you’ve already got a good foundation for expanding your knowledge.
Your education will typically begin with classroom training that helps you learn more about how the body works. You’ll focus on learning the theory and causes of various health problems that can occur with each organ or system. You’ll also learn about how to heal these issues, but you won’t start with practical application yet.
Get Hands-On Clinical Experiences
Medical assistants spend the majority of their time helping physicians and nurses provide direct care in the treatment room. Make sure to look for medical assistant programs that provide hands-on opportunities to practice essential procedures such as taking vital signs and administering medication. Practicing these skills during your training gives you confidence when it is time to care for your first patients.
Practice Common Laboratory Techniques
During your career as a medical assistant, you are likely to be called upon to collect samples for testing. Your training will include learning how to draw blood and process the sample to conduct several different types of tests. You’ll also learn how to process a urinalysis and blood sugar tests so that you can assist doctors with gathering information about a patient’s condition.
Find Out How to Manage a Medical Office
While you might be eager to start helping patients, there are also things that you’ll need to learn about managing the background operations. Medical assisting requires you to know how to use computer applications that medical facilities use for record keeping and other important aspects of providing care to patients. You’ll spend some classroom time learning all of the things you need to know about medical billing and coding and maintaining electronic health records.
When your goal is to become a medical assistant, you’ll want to remember that a quality education lays the foundation for your success. Look for a program that doesn’t cut corners. Finding one that provides a combination of hands-on and classroom—or online classroom—experiences gives you a well-rounded education that will serve you well once you begin serving in your new role.