Medical Assistants Seeking Work

Medical assistants may advance to other occupations through experience or additional training. For example, some may go on to teach medical assisting at vocational training institutions and colleges while others pursue additional education to become nurses or patient advocates. Administrative medical assistants may advance to office manager and qualify for a variety of administrative support occupations, or hospital administrators.

Doctors agree: "We couldn't practice without them. It is that simple!"

Medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians; 12 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. Most of the remainder worked in other health care industries such as outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities.

Doctors will always need medical assistants!

An increasing number of doctors prefer medical assistants with experience and certifications, mostly because they are beginning to recognize and appreciate the importance of such. Employers expect that their medical assistants have the ability to:

• strong documentation skills with focus on accuracy
• excellent rapport with patients and staff
• self-motivated and willing to take on responsibilities
• correctly mix medications for injections
• accurately identify syringe calibrations
• identify injection sites using anatomical landmarks
• identify and use basic medical equipment
• greet patients in a friendly, professional manner
• work with a variety of personalities in the medical office
• manage multiple tasks effectively and in a timely
• master the required computer skills
• use medical terminology and abbreviations
• schedule practices/referrals for physician offices
• do in-office quick lab testing
• possess a clear understanding of OSHA and HIPAA regulations

More and more job advertisements read:

1. Must have gone through an approved medical assistant program 
2. Must have x months/years job related experience 
3. Certified medical assistants only