Administrative Medical Assistant: Job, Outlook and Training Info
Have you considered a career as an administrative medical assistant? You can help ensure that medical offices operate efficiently by performing a variety of duties that may range from scheduling appointments to taking care of billing processes. For details about the duties, job outlook and training of administrative medical assistants, read further. Schools offering Medical Office Administration degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What Are the Job Duties of an Administrative Medical Assistant?
As an administrative medical assistant, your main duties will focus on the operation of a medical office. Your duties will include answering phones, arranging for laboratory services, scheduling appointments, updating patient files and processing insurance forms. Additionally, you may have to arrange details of hospital admittance for patients. You may also be responsible for ordering the supplies for and maintaining the cleanliness of examination rooms, office spaces and waiting areas.
Some states additionally allow administrative medical assistants to perform basic clinical tasks such as taking blood pressure and other vital signs. You may be allowed to draw blood, give injections, sterilize medical instrumentation and change bandages.
What is the Job Outlook?
Job opportunities for medical assistants in general are predicted to be excellent; according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for medical assistants is expected to increase by 34% between 2008 and 2018, making it one of the fastest-growing careers in that period (www.bls.gov). This projection is attributed to factors such as the increasing population of senior citizens needing care and new advances in technology. As of May 2010, the annual median salary for medical assistants was $28,860.
What Type of Training Do I Need?
While completing a formal education in medical assisting is not always required, many employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed either a 1-year certificate or diploma program or a 2-year degree program. You can find administrative medical assistant programs at community colleges and vocational schools.
In these programs, you'll study courses such as basic medical procedures, office operations, medical insurance, phlebotomy, anatomy and bookkeeping. You may also study word processing, transcription and pharmacology. Some associate's degree programs offer medical office internships or cooperative experiences that allow you to gain on-the-job training and increase your opportunity for hire.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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