Medical assistants have been a critical part of the thriving healthcare industry since the formal establishment of medical assisting in the 1950’s. Becoming a medical assistant is a great path for those who are looking for a career in medicine. The need for qualified individuals in this field is great as doctors and nurses must increasingly rely on medical assistants to keep offices running smoothly and efficiently.
A job with variety
As a medical assistant, your days will be busy and yet rewarding at the same time. Your role will vary depending on the office you work at, and variety is virtually guaranteed. One minute you’ll be checking patients in, taking their histories and checking their vitals. The next minute you are answering phones, returning messages, and filling out billing and coding forms. In essence, you’ll never be bored! Performing a variety of tasks helps fight off job stagnation and gives you the opportunity to learn new skills continually.
The hours are not crazy
In the medical profession, especially when it comes to physicians and nurses, the hours can be unpredictable. It is not uncommon for them to be roused in the middle of the night from a deep sleep to address an emergency. One of the perks of being a medical assistant is that your hours reflect more of a traditional work schedule. You may occasionally find yourself staying late, working on the weekends, or working a holiday or two, depending on your office. However, you won’t see the scheduling demands of other healthcare professions, which means you can look forward to enjoying a normal work-life balance.
Career potential
As mentioned earlier, demands for medical assistants are high, and that demand appears not to be ending anytime soon. This makes a career path in medical assisting very attractive.
The median annual wage for medical assistants is $30,510 per year. Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 23 percent in the next decade, much faster than the average for all occupations (this according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). As practices expand to handle the increasing population needing medical services, physicians will hire more assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties.
Room for advancement
Medical assistants provide a range of support to clinics and hospitals. Because of this, there are plenty of opportunities for those who excel and work hard to become experts in as many functions as possible. If you master your job and work well with those around you in an office environment, you’ll find yourself in the perfect position to move up to a management position.
Medical assisting can be a stepping stone for other more advanced careers such as nursing, radiology, or specializations that require more training or education. The great thing about medical assisting is that you have many, many options after completing the MA program here at American College of Healthcare and Technology and working for a few years afterward.
What our vocational college course provides
Here at American College of Healthcare and Technology, we have an eight-month course that provides graduates with the basic administrative and clinical assisting skills necessary to qualify for entry-level positions in a variety of out-patient medical facilities. Students will learn medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, phlebotomy, medical office management, assisting with diagnostic procedures & administration of medications. Work-site learning in a medical facility is a component of this course. This course is available at both our Riverside and Huntington Park campuses.
American College of Healthcare and Technology has two convenient locations.
Our Huntington Park campus proudly serves the following communities: Bell, Bell Gardens, Compton, Southgate, Los Angeles, Vernon, Maywood, Cudahy, Florence, South Central LA, Watts, Lynwood, City of industry, Lawndale, Paramount, Inglewood, Commerce, Downy, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Carson, Long Beach, Bellflower, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Whitter, Gardena, Hawthorne, El Monte, La Puente, Monterrey Park.
Our Riverside campus proudly serves the following communities: Corona, Moreno Valley, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Perris, La Sierra, Arlington, Jurupa Valley, Rialto, Pedly, Mira Loma, Rubidoux, Bloomington, Colton, San Bernardino, Redland, Wildomar, Temecula, Murrieta, Loma Linda, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Glen Avon.