Medical Assistants are a vital part of the healthcare team. They support a busy physician while completing various tasks on a daily basis. Medical Assistants help the office run effectively and efficiently.
Medical Assistants directly support a physician and her or his office. Doctors, physicians and other healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat patients, often employ Medical Assistants as part of their staff. Depending on the Medical Assistant’s interests, schedule preferences, and benefit requirements, employment possibilities range from small private practices with a few employees to large corporate hospital or clinical systems. Medical Assistants can also choose which type of specialty they would prefer to work in, some examples include:
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- Family Practice-treat patients for acute and chronic illnesses, provide follow up care, and refer patients to specialists for challenging cases that require in depth diagnosis and treatment.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology-provides care for women’s reproductive systems including yearly physical testing and management of pregnancy from conception to birth, and postpartum.
- Cardiology-provides care for patients who have abnormalities of the heart and cardiovascular system.
- Hematology/Oncology-treats patients who have abnormalities of the blood, circulatory system or have been given a diagnosis of cancer.
- Pediatrics-provide preventative health maintenance for healthy children and medical care for children who are ill.
- Orthopedic Surgery-offers preservation, investigation, and restoration to patients who have abnormalities with their spine, joints, or muscular system.
- Dermatology-is a branch of medicine that is concerned with treating conditions of the skin.
- Otorhinolaryngology-often called ENT’s, treat patients with condition of the ears, nose, and throat.
- Nursing Home, Assisted Living, and Long Term Care Facilities-provide 24 hour care to elderly patients who are residents of the facility or need temporary assistance after recovering from surgery or serious illness.
Each specialty has some common basic duties that the Medical Assistant will perform on a daily basis, such as obtaining vital signs, prepping patients for examination, and following up regarding treatment plans or home care instructions. However, depending on the specialty and the reason for the visit, procedures the physician may need assistance with, tests performed, patient demographics, operating hours, and work schedules will differ. Each specialty offers an exciting workplace with the ability to impact the lives of patients on a daily basis, while providing care as part of an important healthcare team.
If you are interested in the possibility of changing direction in your life to begin a rewarding healthcare career as a Medical Assistant, contact Arizona College today for a tour of our campus and modern medical laboratories. It is never too late to make your dreams of a new career come true!
Information in this blog post is accurate as of November 20, 2014.