Go to Medical Assistant Profile »
Q: I am interested in working in the medical field but do not know if I can handle all the schooling and memorization. I love people and working with my hands. What does your daily schedule look like?
A: Becoming a medical assistant actually sounds like it might be right up your alley. The training period is typically 1-2 years which means you won’t be in school for too long. As an assistant, you have a lot of direct contact with the patients. You’re the one taking blood pressure, drawing blood, removing stitches, etc. Being a people person –I really think you’d enjoy that aspect.
Much of the work is also very hands-on and there’s always something to do. It’s hard to describe a “daily” schedule because it really changes on a day-to-day basis in conjunction with our needs. Typical activities I expect are taking patients’ vitals, running tests, helping with procedures, scheduling appointments, calling in scripts, etc. You have to be able to multi-task and efficiently manage your time but there’s rarely a boring day.
Q: What is your job description?
A: I do many different things at my job. My clinical responsibilities include patient triage; taking vitals such as blood pressure, pulse, and respiration; giving injections and drawing blood; doing ear washing, peak flow meters, EKG, and giving nebulizer treatments; assisting in procedures such as pap smears and colonoscopies; and running tests including urine and pregnancy.
My clerical duties are patient education; obtaining prior authorization for prescriptions; calling in scripts; checking patients’ insurance; ordering supplies and medications; running the flu vaccine clinic; stocking exam rooms; scheduling appointments; getting lab and test results; physical and occupational therapy; assisting physicians with minor surgery in the office; and removing stitches, staples and IV lines.
I am also the State President of the Massachusetts Society of Medical Assistants, Chapter President of the American Association of Medical Assistants — Worcester District (and the Massachusetts Representative for their National Conference), and a member of the American Association of Medical Assistant Proctors for the National Exam.
Q: How did you decide to become a medical assistant?
A: I was laid off from an insurance company, so I decided to go back to school. I went for an interview at the Salter School for their medical secretary program, and the person there said with my background I should try the medical assistant program. I did, and it was the best thing that I could have done. I also have an Associate’s degree in business management.
Q: What does it take to be successful as a medical assistant?
A: You need to be motivated, caring, friendly, a good listener and multi-tasker, have good time management skills, be able to work independently, have good people skills, and enjoy working with the public and different types of people. K
eep up on your certifications, which means go to continuing education programs within the AAMA at the local, state or even national level, and maybe do their study guide booklets. Get involved with the AAMA in various areas.
Q: What is your dream job?
A: I can honestly say being a Certified Medical Assistant is my dream job. I really like what I do, and I feel as though I am giving something back to the community and the students.
Q: What real world experience did you get during school?
A: I enjoy working with the public. I worked in a nursing home, and since my Dad is a physician, I had the opportunity at home of seeing and hearing patients’ problems. I also had the experience of taking of my Mom, who was dying of lung cancer, and my Dad, who had heart disease problems.
Q: What advice can you offer to students?
A: If you are looking for a rewarding career and you like the above information, apply to an accredited school, take the medical assistant classes, and sit for the national certification exam. You will get a great job and be successful.
Q: How many years does it take you to become a medical assistant?
A: The training period isn’t too long. If you enroll in an accredited program, it typically takes 1-2 years to complete. After you complete the program, it’s a good idea to take a certification exam to be a Certified Medical Assistant.
Q: Are there many job openings?
A: Yes, there are many openings and it’s actually one of the fastest growing occupations. Job opportunities are expected to grow approximately 30% through 2014 (which is much faster than the national average). It’s definitely a great field to enter at this time.
Q: Do you enjoy doing your job every single day, or are there some times when the job frustrates you?
A: I think everyone in the working world would agree that there are times when work is frustrating! But overall, I really do enjoy my job. I realize that some days will be more challenging than others — not everything will always run smoothly and sometimes there’s a lot of work to be done but not enough time.
Regardless, at the end of everyday, I walk away feeling like I accomplished something. This feeling of satisfaction is one of the things that keeps me in the field. It’s very rewarding.
Q: Is billing and coding also considered a medical assistant job? What about pharmaceutical work?
A: Traditionally, billing & coding is distinct from being a medical assistant. Depending on the staffing of an office, the two might overlap and a medical assistant will help with some of the paperwork duties typically completed by a billing & coding associate. While medical assistants perform some clerical work, they usually work hands on with patients (taking blood pressure, running tests, etc.). Billing and coding associates work on the paper end–making sure insurance forms are properly filled out, processed, etc. And if you’re interested in being a pharmacist, that will deal more with distributing drugs to physicians & patients and educating them about their various properties (recommended dosages, side effects, etc.). Pharmacists need a broad science background to understand the chemical, biological, and physical properties of drugs.
Q: What are the classes that are required for medical billing and coding?
A: You can expect to take courses in anatomy, physiology, record keeping, medical terminology, and administrative & accounting skills. Within your coursework you’ll also study laboratory techniques, diagnostic procedures, and how to administer medications.
Q: My grades are not that good but I want to be a medical assistant what is most recommended?
A: You can find medical assistant programs at many community colleges or vocational/tech schools. Community colleges have open admissions policies (that is, allowing all interested individuals to enroll). This is often a good option for someone whose grades and test scores have been on the lower side. At a community college or tech school, you can earn a certificate or diploma which will allow you to work in the field as a medical assistant.
Some states require that you take a national certification exam as well. If you really want to demonstrate an interest in health care, you can try volunteering at a hospital or other health care facility. Shadow a medical assistant for an afternoon. Join clubs devoted to health issues.
Q: What are the day-day responsibilities of your job?
A: I have many duties but some of the main ones include: taking vitals like blood pressure; drawing blood; assisting in minor procedures; running tests; removing stitches and IV lines; scheduling appointments; stocking exam rooms; ordering supplies; calling in patient prescriptions As you can see, some of my duties include hands-on patient care and some tasks are more clerical.
Q: What are the requirements for working as a medical assistant?
A: You’ll want to enroll in an accredited medical assistant program (found at vocational schools and community colleges). This typically takes one or two years to complete. You’ll then want to take the national certification exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant.
Q: Do you ever get tired of doing this job, or do you always love it?
A: As with any job, some days are better than others. In general, I love it. As you watch people heal and improve–it’s rewarding to see your work paying off.
Any frustration that stems from work tends not to come from the job itself but more so from problems within the health care system.When you find yourself understaffed, it can be stressful and you don’t complete everything you would like to do in a shift.
Q: How much does your job pay?
A: Salaries will vary depending on the city, years of experience, etc. Between $25,000 and $30,000 is average.
Q: Is medical school hard to get through?
A: Yes, going through medical school to become a doctor is a very rigorous process. After completing your bachelor’s degree, you spend four years in med school and another 3-7 years doing your residency. Since doctors hold a lot of responsibility (sometimes matters of life and death), they need to be extensively educated and trained.
Q: What do you call the nurse who weighs the baby after birth?
A: That typically falls under the duties of a labor and delivery nurse.
Q: Does medical assisting require a lot of memorization?
A: While some of the coursework and on-the-job duties require memorization, it’s more like learned information which will stick with you over time. I know in high school students often memorize material for the purposes of taking an exam but once you’re working, you’ll find that learning is more than a matter of memorization.
You build up a pool of practices and knowledge that you use on a daily basis. You thoroughly understand the subject and you constantly do activities that tap into your knowledge. I wouldn’t let this fear hold you back and I think you’ll be fine.
Q: I want to go to college to be a Medical Assistant, but I don’t want to be in college too long(at least 1-2 years). What do you really do as a Medical Assistant? What colleges are best to go to for Medical Assistant?
A: Medical assisting could be a good option for you then. If you were to do a certificate program, it would probably take you one year and an associate’s program would probably take two.
On a day-to-day basis, I have a lot of contact with patients – I record information like blood pressure and temperature, give injections, draw blood, remove stitches, assist with minor surgeries, ask them questions about their medical history, educate them on treatments and medication, etc.
My job also involves running lab tests, scheduling appointments, submitting insurance information, and ordering supplies. There are many good schools with medical assistant programs – I would suggest that you look for schools that are accredited.
Q: I really love working with babies and I don’t want to go to school for a long time and I want to be a nurse so, what type of job should I look for?
A: You can work as a Registered Nurse by doing just an associate’s degree (which typically takes two years to complete). Or you if you’re looking for an even shorter educational path, you could consider working as a Licensed Practical Nurse, Certified Nurse Assistant or a Medical Assistant.
Training for these positions is typically a shorter time frame and if you ever decide you want to advance in the medical field, you can always receive additional training/education to work your way up to a Registered Nurse.
Q: What is the best nursing program?
A: It’s hard to designate one as the best and it will really depend on what you’re looking to do. Do you want to be an LPN or RN? If becoming an RN, do you want to do an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree? I would suggest searching for accredited programs and inquiring about considerations like graduation rates, career placement assistance, etc.
Q: Are higher math skills vital for being a medical assistant?
A: The math is mainly basic algebra and basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
