The healthcare sector is diverse, with varied roles and professions. Doctors may offer the most critical care, but they depend on an extended medical team for patient care. A medical assistant is basically involved in clinical and admin tasks, at outpatient care centers, hospitals and other facilities. In this post, we are debunking common myths about medical assistant jobs.
Myth 1: No formal training is needed. This is a clerical job
False. To become a medical assistant, you must complete one of the accredited courses. It is important to understand that MAs work as a part of the medical team, and their work often involves clinical tasks, such as drawing blood, doing basic lab tests, and prepping patients before the physician’s appointment. These are things that cannot be done without formal training. Plus, getting certified is critical to good pay.
Myth 2: A medical assistant is same as a nursing assistant
False. Nurses and nursing assistants offer direct care to the patient, whereas medical assistants are more like a bridge between the physician and patient. MAs take details of the patient, upgrade records, administer medication where required, do lab tests (as needed), manage admin jobs, and so on. Nurses and nursing assistants, on the other hand, are more involved with the patient, offer care, dressing of wounds and so on. The course outlines to become a CNA and CMA are also different.
Myth 3. Medical assistants are not in demand
False. The job outlook for medical assistants is exceptional, and the median annual average salary is around $33,000 as of 2019. In fact, experts believe that medical assistants will be required in large numbers in years to come, and if the 2020 pandemic is any indicator, the spending on healthcare sector will only increase. While nursing assistants have an important role in patient care, but that doesn’t undermine the role of medical assistants.
Final word
If you want to take up the career of a medical assistant, we strongly recommend that you select the right school and accredited program. Communication & organizational skills, ability to be empathic to patients, and being professional with the extended medical care team, are other traits that are expected of MAs. You will learn many things on the job for sure, but formal training is important and cannot be overlooked. You can check online to find more on salary and job outlook for each state.