Medical Assistant

Job Summary:
Medical assistants work in the offices of health practitioners. They are responsible for taking care of all administrative and clinical work and helping in running the practice smoothly. Most people confuse Medical assistants with Physician assistants. However, they are not the same as the job profile of a physician assistant is different. They diagnose, monitor and treat patients whereas medical assistants are involved mostly in administrative work. Medical assistants usually report to the office manager or physician.

Medical assistants should answer telephone calls in a polite way. They should update and file medical records of patients. They should fill insurance forms. They should handle all correspondence. Medical assistants should schedule appointments. They should assist the physician while he examines patients. They should inform patients about their diet and medicines. They should also administer medicines when instructed by the physician. They should keep the premises neat and clean and also arrange the examining room.

Some medical assistants specialize in a particular field. For example: there are Podiatric medical assistants, Ophthalmic medical assistants etc.

Qualification:
Minimum requirement is a graduation with programs in medical assisting. Certification courses in medical assisting is also enough to get a job. Formal training is good but not a necessity as most medical assistants get trained on the job. Some states require medical assistants to take tests before they begin their careers.

Salary Range:
Ranges from $20,000 to $40,000.

Prospects:
The job prospects of medical assistants are excellent. With the number of senior citizens increasing and with the growth of technology in medicine, the demand for medical assistants is bound to increase. Trained medical assistants would benefit the most.