spradley_b_final
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School
Purdue Global University *
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Course
1050
Subject
Medicine
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
5
Uploaded by MagistrateAlbatross2348
Medical Assistant
Medical Assisting
Breana Spradley
COM1050-Composition 1
Instructor J. Greenberg
Medical Assistant
Medicine and the delivery of health care continues to evolve and change. The skills
necessary to take vital signs and to update a patient's drug and health history, once jobs for the
physician or a registered nurse, are now part of the training provided for medical assistants who
work in hospitals, busy clinics, and private care centers. A lot of people are becoming interested
in the field of medical assisting. Medical assisting is a good entry point for those who are
passionate about helping others and have compassion for others. They also must be dedicated to
their studies, good communicators, confident in their skills, and willing to become lifelong
learners. Medical assistants are vitally important members of any health care team and they
perform a multitude of tasks that ensure quality patient care while assisting other medical staff
members with their administrative and medical duties. Medical assistants are the heartbeat of the
medical office or hospital.
A medical assistant's job is unique in that it is a balance of clinical and administrative
duties. They are often the first point of contact with the public. A medical assistant
must have a
passing knowledge of ICD-10 codes for insurance, understand medical and patient chart software
applications, and know accounting and billing basics as well as acting as a patient liaison. On the
clinical side, they take and record patient medical history and answer questions that help them
understand any procedure they may be in the office for. Medical assistants prep and administer
medications, collect lab specimens, and take EKG tests, among other important tasks. Due to a
rise in the population, technological advance, and increasing medical concerns that control a
helpful approach to health care, medical assistants should be in consistently high demand. This
position is valuable and fulfilling. Working in the health care industry allows a person to help
others by refining medical-related knowledge and skills. Besides knowing the ins and outs of the
Medical Assistant
medical practice, assistants interact a great deal with patients. In this field, responsibilities can
range anywhere from greeting patients at the front desk to removing sutures.
While formal education is not always required for a job in this field, medical assistants
who have completed a certification or associate's degree program should have better job
opportunities and may be paid higher than those who without prior training. Also, medical
assistant programs can generally be completed in just one to two years. They learn appropriate
information about everything from medical laws and ethics to first aid procedures. Many
programs also include an internship that will help ease into the new career with more confidence.
Although medical assistants are not licensed, the American Association of Medical Assistants
and American Medical Technologists awards certification or registration. Certificate programs
are designed to be career training. Students spend all their time learning how to do the job of a
medical assistant. Coursework focuses on the core topics with most programs developing in an
externship. One of the benefits to a certificate program is the short completion time. Earning an
associate’s degree requires general education courses and one may be eligible for more pay. This
completion usually takes two years.
Most medical assistants work on a full-time, 40 hour week basis. However, medical
facilities such as hospitals and emergency clinics often serve the needs of patients by remaining
open during evenings, holiday, and weekends. That means even if a medical assistant is working
a full week, they can develop a schedule that works with their personal life. As a medical
assistant, there is also the option of working part time, depending on the policies of the medical
facility. The majority of medical assistants work in physicians' offices, while the remainder can
be found in state, local and private hospitals, and outpatient care centers. A typical day in a
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