5 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Medical Assistant

Believe it or not, there are still some very solid career choices out there. While many jobs are going up in smoke, medical assisting jobs are going strong. Since the 1950’s, medical assistants have been a vital part of the medical industry. Doing everything from filing paperwork to running medical tests, they help keep any medical facility running smoothly. If you’ve been thinking about a career change and the following 5 benefits appeal to you, then it may very well be something you should consider.

Job Growth and Stability
According to United Stats Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for medical assistants is quite impressive. In fact, it’s projected to have one of the fastest job growths all the way through to the year 2018. From 2008 to 2018, it was expected that medical assistant employment would grow 34%. With the ever-growing technologies in the healthcare industry, the number of aging citizens and rising numbers of medical conditions like diabetes; it’s not too hard to see why medical assistants are going to remain very much in demand.

Short Training Time
You don’t have to wait four or five years before you can actually enter the workforce and start making money. Medical assistants normally complete a one or two year training program. There are some that simply train through on the job training, but your chances of landing a good  (better paying) position are better if you get formal training to add to any on the job training experience. The only main requirement is that you have a high school diploma. There are many schools and accredited training programs that will include job placement assistance, too. Both the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Association of Medical Technologists (AMT) provide formal certification for medical assisting.

Versatility and Portability
If you’re the type who gets bored with doing the same tasks day in and day out, then you’ll be happy to know that you’ll be doing a wide variety of tasks as a medical assistant. Exactly what you’ll be doing will depend on where you end up working. If it’s a small firm, you could do everything from filing patient records to sterilizing equipment. If you’re in a larger office or medical facility, you’ll probably specialize as either an administrative medical assistant (filling insurance claims, scheduling appointments, answering phones, etc…), clinical assistant (helping patients understand treatment procedures, getting their medical history, getting them ready for exams, etc…) or a tightly focused area. A few examples would be a podiatric medical assistant or ophthalmic medical assistant. State laws will dictate what tasks you’re allowed to do.

It’s also convenient that medical assistants are needed everywhere. Being a medical assistant, you can pretty much live anywhere!

The Moolah
The average income for a medical assistant is just under $30,000/year. Some make more and some make less, as it will depend on where you live and what kind of office you’re working in. The highest paying industry for a medical assistant to work in is psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, where the average runs around $45,000 per year. As for location, the highest paying areas for medical assistants are the District of Columbia, Alaska, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Washington.

Personal Satisfaction
As a medical assistant, you can feel good knowing that you’re contributing to the well-being of others. The nature of your work puts you into position to help patients deal with situations that are difficult. Day in, day out you’re actively helping and caring for patients who need you. As a volunteer feels a sense of satisfaction and pride, you too will be able to lay your head down at night knowing that you made someone’s life better that day.

This is a guest post by Veronica Davis, a freelance writer covering an array of topics. She often writes about career development, college help topics and pretty much anything that will help others reach their full potential. Medical assisting is just one of the many careers she has researched and written about.

Comments

[Karen F.]

Loved this post, Veronica :) You've provided some great information that would be helpful for job seekers looking to change careers or graduates who are finding their way in terms of what opportunities to pursue! One perk I would like to add about this position is that it's the closest you can be to a doctor's office (or practice) without the blood and guts. lol Kidding aside, it's the perfect job for people with a knack for helping others and providing customer service.

Karen, The Resume Chick (on Google or Twitter for questions, comments or violent reactions)

[Peter Carlson]

This is one one of the best sites about employment. Keep it up...

[Bob R]

The medical assistant is often the first and one of the most important points of contact for patients in any medical setting. As such, it is more and more important that these professionals are highly trained and know what they to expect once they get a job in the field. With the healthcare bill being passed by the Obama administration, there will be an increased need for medical assistants to support doctors.

[sterilizers]

As such, it is more and more important that these professionals are highly trained and know what they to expect once they get a job in the field.

[Cindy L]

Thanks for this informative article about becoming a medical assistant. I've gone ahead and bookmarked it. Thanks for sharing!

[Jason]

Thanks for the article. I'm currently doing research into Medical Assistant wages, do you know how long it takes on average before someone starts earning close to $30,000?