Ever since the formal establishment of medical assisting in the 1950s, the profession has been a critical component of the thriving healthcare industry. Medical assisting is a great path for individuals who seek a career in healthcare. With the complexities of healthcare growing every day, doctors and nurses must rely on skilled, trustworthy Medical Assistants to keep offices running smoothly.
When studying medical assisting at the Allen School of Health Sciences, you will complete a quality, accelerated, hands-on program and be in the field making a difference in less than a year. That’s just one of the many benefits; you’ll also be a vital member of your healthcare team and make a huge investment, not only in your community but also in yourself.
You’ll Constantly be Refining Your Communication Skills
Along with administrative and clinical responsibilities, working with all kinds of people — both coworkers and patients — will be a huge part of your job. These duties require strong communication skills and the ability to work well as a member of the team. While you’ll learn how to do the functions of your job in your medical assisting program and externship, there is nothing better than on-the-job training, especially when it comes to the art of communication.
Listening to patients, answering questions, and taking direction from physicians takes time to perfect. Knowing what to say (and when to say it) doesn’t happen overnight. However, with some practice, refinement, and experience, you’ll learn how to effectively interact with different personalities, ages, and professionals in any situation that’s thrown at you. Through this process, you’ll become a strong medical assistant and an even stronger person.
Job Variety
As a Medical Assistant your days will be very busy. Every role will change depending on the office or practice you’re in, but wherever you work as a Medical Assistant, you will likely have job variety. You’ll check patients in, take their histories, check their vitals, and then turn around and answer phones, return messages, and fill 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 soft skills, along with clinical specialization that probably attracted you to the job in the first place.
Work Hours Aren’t Crazy
It isn’t unusual for nurses and physicians to work long shifts or to be roused from a deep sleep by an emergency. As a Medical Assistant, one of the perks, especially if you work in a clinic, is that your schedule will mimic a more traditional work schedule. You might occasionally end up staying late, working on the weekends, or working a holiday or two, but you won’t see the scheduling demands of other healthcare professionals, and you can look forward to enjoying a normal work-life balance.
Room for Advancement
Because Medical Assistants provide a range of support to clinics and hospitals, there is plenty of room for advancement for those who excel and work hard to become experts in as many functions as possible. If you can master your job, become a top-notch communicator, and work well with those around you, you can be in a prime position to move up within your organization.
Medical assisting can also be a launching point for hospital administration or other healthcare 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 finishing your MA program and working in the field afterward. You’ll have a leg up on fresh faces entering the industry because you’ll already have a solid background in healthcare and the experience to back it up!
If you’re ready to pursue a successful career in the healthcare field and interested in learning more about our programs. Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for classes starting soon! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-Allen School
Article updated February 17, 2024