Most of us have had the help and support of a Medical Assistant while visiting a hospital, or a physician’s office. However, to become a successful MA, there are some basic qualities that a candidate should possess.
Among the most important Medical Assistant qualities are communication skills, as these are the basic characteristics for this profession. An MA should listen to patients without interruption but at the same time, still ask appropriate questions to get to the source of their visit. Communication skills also involve clearly narrating the vital instructions given by the doctor to each patient.
Besides being a good listener, it is especially important that a Medical Assistant is compassionate toward their patients. An MA should try to understand the emotional state of their patients by hearing out their questions and concerns. Handling patients in a compassionate way will help them feel more comfortable and relaxed at the time of their health assessment.
A physician’s office or a hospital is full of activity. The workplace can make a Medical Assistant feel quite stressed out. They will have a lot of administrative and clinical duties to perform each day and at times, all of these work-related stresses can contribute to confusion and anxiety. On the other hand, patients visit a health care facility for appropriate care and treatment; they come with their own set of stress. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the MA to check their stress at the door. In other words, figure out a way to put aside stress you’ve built up throughout the day, while in the company of your patient. This is no easy task, as you are only human, but it is a good skill to work on each day in order to give the best care you can.
A Medical Assistant is expected to be a reliable person since the physician, the healthcare group associates, and the incoming patients depend on them to be reliable. Hence, an MA should be punctual, career-focused and value the conventional code of behavior.
Honesty is the best policy for this lifetime career. The personal information that a Medical Assistant collects must be maintained as confidential in a healthcare setting. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a strict confidentiality rule, which requires vigilance and care in maintaining the patient’s fitness information. However, it is also considered courteous to behave trustworthy to each patient while receiving their health or personal information (even during informal conversation). Each and every MA will be introduced to circumstances where they need to prove their ethical and moral characteristics on a daily basis. Hence, honesty is the chief quality to become a professional medical assistant.
Sometimes the urge to react to a tiring physician or to a disgruntled patient who is in a lot of pain or has little patience is very tempting. However, having strong willpower towards your personal feelings in a health care environment while remaining polite is a very unique Medical Assistant trait that is necessary to remain a professional. Instead of reacting, take a breath, and respond accordingly.
If you possess the above-mentioned traits, then go ahead and join in a professional medical assistant training program that will give you all the essential courses required to become a successful medical assistant. The Allen School of Health Sciences is offering virtual campus tours for enrollment for our classes starting soon. Contact the Allen School today! We cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
