Have you been thinking about a career as a Medical Assistant? Do you know what qualities are important to have to be a successful Medical Assistant? What is a Medical Assistant responsible for during a typical workday? If you have ever been to a doctor’s office, chances are, a Medical Assistant has prepped you for your visit with the physician.
A Medical Assistant is a vital part of the healthcare team and performs many tasks on a daily basis. The Medical Assistant is often the “wing man” for the physician, and performs clinical duties by prepping the patient for the physician’s examination by taking vital signs, recording symptoms and changes in medical information. Depending on the physician’s diagnosis of the patient, the Medical Assistant may give injections; perform procedures such as blood draws, urine dips, and mouth swabs, to name a few. The Medical Assistant also performs administrative duties such as answering the phone, acting as the liaison between the physician and other healthcare providers, calling in prescriptions to the pharmacy, checking patients in/out of appointments and scheduling follow up visits.
Being that the Medical Assistant is the direct link between the patient and the physician, it is extremely beneficial that they demonstrate certain qualities, in order to be successful. Along with the clinical and administrative skills listed above, Medical Assistants should demonstrate professional “soft skills” required to communicate effectively and efficiently as a representative of the physician’s office. Examples of professional “soft skills” include:
- Good communication skills (both oral and written)
- Organization of workspace
- Ability to multitask
- Ability to maintain calm and composed under pressure or stressful situations
- Ability to maintain a high level of professionalism by keeping patient’s medical information confidential
- Assist patients in feeling welcome and comfortable
By working with patient’s on a daily basis to improve their health, a career as a Medical Assistant can be very rewarding. If you if think you have the qualities that would make Medical Assisting the career for you and want to make a difference in someone’s life, Contact Arizona College today to learn more about a career as a Medical Assistant.
Information in this blog post is accurate as of July 17, 2014.