Medical Assistant Salary, Jobs, Career and Training

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  • Medical Assistant Cover Letter

    Writing a Cover Letter for a Medical Assistant

    The good news is that if you are a medical assistant you are in such high demand that a career position is likely within your immediate reach.  Of course, you do not want just any position, you want the best position available and as such, you want to make the best impression possible with your chosen employer.  The medical assistant cover letter is the place to start.  The cover letter is your introduction to the interviewer, it is your place to point out parts of your resume and about yourself that are most important.

    The keys to a good cover letter is proper attention to detail, keeping it short, and packing it with punch.  There is no way to know your prospective interviewer’s philosophy on hiring.  Some will never look at your cover letter and others will weigh it as highly as your actual resume.  In fact it is oftentimes the cover letter that makes the difference between choosing who to interview when looking at several similar looking resumes.

    When I say pay attention to detail, what I mean is that you want to follow all of the rules for style and formatting.  You want to use the proper rules for the margins, the date, the address line, the greeting, the salutation, and the spacing.  I cannot go into the precise requirements here because accepted business letter formatting changes over time.  Just look up the proper formatting for a business letter and follow the rules precisely.  One last thing, as much as it should go without saying, make certain there are not any spelling errors on the cover letter.  This includes properly spelling the names of those to whom you have addressed the letter.

    Keeping it short is very important. No one is going to read your three page cover letter.  Your cover letter needs to be much less than a page, with short paragraphs and concise writing.  You must say what you need to say in as direct a manner as possible.  Pick a few important points and say them well.

    Packing the cover letter with some punch is important.  If you have done something spectacular that cannot be communicated well on the resume, then say it in the cover letter.  If you have a particular achievement or ability that is not included on the resume, because it does not fit anywhere, then say it in the cover letter.  If you have a specific reason you want to work for the company that you are applying to, say it in the cover letter.  Make your letter stand out.  Say what you are applying for, why you want to work for that company specifically, and why you are a great person for the job, and do it all in less than a page.

    Be certain to include quantifiable facts in the letter if possible.  But if not then include something that shows you have great attention to detail as well as great interpersonal skills.  Not every letter has to be all facts, but keep your subjective information to a small part of the cover letter.  If your cover letter takes you less than two hours to write then you probably are not giving it enough attention.  A cover letter can make all of the difference in getting an interview – write it well.

  • Certified Medical Assistant Programs

    There are a variety of medical assistant programs that are offered across the Untied States.  Some are fantastic programs that have been certified by organizations such as the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and then there are other medical assistant programs without certifications that provide a substandard medical assistant education.

    The reason that medical assisting programs need to be certified is because the certification process itself serves as a check and balance to ensure the student and subsequent employer that the medical assistant has been properly trained.  The stringent guidelines of these accrediting agencies is enough to keep the educational programs completely up to do date with all new developments in the medical field as they relate to medical assistants.  The certified programs are also required to re-certify their medical assistant graduates every 5 years.  This means that their certified medical assistants will always be knowledgeable and implementing the most up to date techniques and procedures.

    The second reason that the medical assisting program you attend needs to be a certified medical assistant program is because that will give you an edge over others that are competing against you for the same job.  There are a lot of medical assisting jobs available, but there are also a lot of medical assistants applying for the best of those jobs.  If you are a graduate of one of the certified medical assistant programs, then you will able to compete against the best of the medical assistants, and it will help you land the best medical assistant job available.

    The third reason you want to attend a certified medical assistant program is that you want to be assured that you have the very best training possible.  The fact is, that you serve a very important role in any medical office, and in the health and well being of the patients of that office.  If you are certified then you will know that you had the best education possible and that you are providing your employer and that patient the best care possible.

    Certified medical assistant programs also have an easier time when it comes to helping their students obtain medical assistant employment.  When a school has a reputation for graduating knowledgeable and office ready students that are certified, then the surrounding medical community will be looking to that school every time they need to hire a new assistant. When you attend a certified program you will likely have an easier time getting a job on graduation, in fact, oftentimes the job will come looking for you.

    The final reason you want to have attended one of the certified medical assistant programs is that it will increase your personal self esteem.  Sometimes it is difficult to know if you are doing the right thing when starting a new career path or vocational program.  Knowing that the program you are attending has been certified and is respected in the medical community can help a lot with how confident you feel in this new career path that you have chosen.

     

  • Medical Assistant Certification

    Why do I need a Medical Assistant Certification?

    There are a variety of reasons why you would want to have medical assistant certification.  There are several boards that offer this certification,. the most prestigious of which is the American Association or Medical Assistants (AAMA).  The reason you would want to be certified is that it sets you apart and above other medical assistants, it gives you improved job security, and it allows you to more easily get a new medical assistant job should you wish to leave the one you are at currently.  The certification also gives your employer an increased level of security and defense against any possible lawsuits.  For them, it is easier to defend the actions of an office filed with stringently certified medical assistants, than if they had no true hiring criteria or required certifications for their staff.

    The AAMA is the premier of certifying bodies because they are the lead organization within the Untied States for certified medical assistants.  Their certification process is also more stringent than other certifying bodies.  The AAMA not only requires that you attend an accredited medical assisting program taught within a classroom environment, but that you are also subjected to an externship before being allowed to graduate the accredited program.  The AAMA then has you take a national medical assisting certification exam that is given by the National Board of Medical Examiners.  This is the same testing agency that gives many of the national examinations for physicians.  These combined stringent requirements, classroom training, externship, and passing the exam ensure that the AAMA certification is recognized and admired amongst medical professionals.

    The AAMA also requires a 60 month re-certification for all of those that have been previously certified.  This ensures the validity of the certification as well as protects the employer from having medical assistants that have not kept up to date on current medical procedures and practices.  The AAMA itself also offers a variety of classes in order to ensure that the medical assistant is prepared for their re-certification exam.  These classes help the medical assistant to stay abreast of new required office procedures and laws and in turn will help ensure the entire medical office is compliant.

    Medical assistant certification, whether through the AAMA or some other medical assistant certifying agency is something that every medical assistant should consider.  It is also something that every medical employer should consider requiring of their employees.  There is always a debate amongst practitioners if certification is actually valuable or not in every day application.  But the fact is that having a staff of medical assistants that have an outside certification can benefit the way the public perceives the medical office, and it can also serve as a line of defense against those that would wish to sue the office.  The certification of the entire staff would certainly be an argument in favor of the practitioner.  I certainly would not want to be in court and have to tell the jury that I did not hire certified staff.  For that reason alone, it is a good idea to get certified if you are a medical assistant and to only hire the certified if you are a medical employer.

  • Medical Assistant Job Duties

    While we have already talked about in general the job description of a Medical Assistant, let us delve a little deeper into the job duties in this article. There is no way to specify a precise list of medical assistant job duties unless you specify the type of medical assistant.  The list below is not all inclusive but does include some of the duties that each type of medical assistant will need to perform on a daily basis.

    Job Duties of an Administrative Medical Assistant

    The administrative medical assistant will need to handle all administrative duties within a medical office.  This includes medical related administration as well as general office administration.  The administrative medical assistant will for example, handle all general office needs.  From coordination of office supplies to the bookkeeping involved in making certain all of the office utilities and leases are paid.  The administrative medical assistant will also be responsible for ensuring that the office has all of the necessary medical related office supplies on hand.  The types of supplies would vary depending on the type of medical office.  But certainly would include bandages, gauze, thermometers, and hundreds of other necessary items in every doctors office.  The administrative medical assistant is also responsible for all patient scheduling and billing.  This means that they must make certain that every day has enough patients scheduled and that all of the insurance companies are properly billed.

    Job Duties of a Clinical Medical Assistant

    The clinical medical assistant is the medical assistant that primarily interacts with the patient while the patient is in the patient room.  This medical assistant checks vital signs, documents symptoms on the patients charts, and documents the conversation between the patient and the physician.  The clinical assistant is also required oftentimes to take blood and even administer shots.  The clinical medical assistant is also responsible for ensuring the patient has all of the necessary directions and supplies to implement the course of treatment that is recommended by the doctor.  The clinical medical assistant also documents the prescribed treatment and follows up to see that the patient is given all relevant prescriptions.

    Job Duties of a Laboratory Medical Assistant

    The laboratory medical assistant is the medical assistant that works away from standard outpatient physician offices.  It is the laboratory assistant that is responsible for documenting all aspects of how samples sent to their lab are handled, tested, and documenting the results of all tests.  The laboratory medical assistant is also responsible for performing some of the laboratory tests as well as ensuring that the test results are delivered accurately and are attributed precisely to the patient that gave the original sample  The laboratory medical assistant needs to be very detailed oriented and keeps a lot of records.

    In any given situation there are medical assistant job duties that cross over from one classification to the other.  In fact, in some smaller offices the administrative medical assistant also performs many clinical medical assistant duties.  On the other hand, there are many medical assistants that work in offices that are large enough where there duties are broken into much more precise classifications than the above.  You may have a medical assistant strictly for billing and another strictly for general office.  It all depends on the specific office and the way the staff is structured.  Either way, the above is a good list of expected medical assistant job duties.

     

  • Medical Assistant Job Description


    When you think of a medical office, think of everything that goes on in that office short of the specific duties that the doctor performs.  Everything that you are thinking of, that is the job description of the medical assistant.  Naturally specific medical assistants do specific tasks within each office, but all of the tasks in a medical office are performed by medical assistants.

    All aspects of office administration are also the responsibility of medical assistant in most offices. This includes handling all of the medical vendors, medical supplies as well as office supplies and general office equipment such as computers, telephones and even utilities such as the electric and water companies..

    All aspects of patient administration are delegated to medical assistants.  This includes medical files and tracking of the issuance of prescriptions and supplies to each patient.  This also includes scheduling appointments as well as ensuring each patient is reminded of appointments and are prepared for appointments before there arrival.  For example, it is common that a patient be asked to not eat or track their bowel movements or some other such task that they need to perform to be prepared for their appointment.

    The daily work flow of the office is also managed and handled by medical assistants.  This means that it is the medical assistant that greets the patient, has them complete their paperwork, admits the patient into the patient room, updates the chart with vital signs, discusses symptoms with the patient, and then communicates to the doctor those symptoms.  It is also the medical assistant that instructs the patient on proper implementation of anything the doctor recommends during her visit to the patient room.  After the visit is over it is the medical assistant the ensures the patient gets their prescriptions, additional office issued medical supplies, and also schedules the next patient appointment.

    All office billing is handled by the medical assistants.  This includes ensuring the patient has current insurance as well as if the specific nature of the visit is covered by their insurance. It is also the medical assistant that documents office issued medical supplies to the patient for proper billing.  The task of proper billing is a large role within any medical office because each office must work with dozens of insurance companies and government entities in order to seek reimbursement for patient visits.  All of these duties fall onto the shoulders of the medical assistants.

    These are the tasks of medical assistants within a basic general practice outpatient medical office.  Medical laboratory assistants have much of the same duties but they normally do not see patients in person.  But in lieu of this personal interaction is a lot more tracking of samples as well as many duties in performing specific tests on the samples provided.  In other words, it is laboratory medical assistants that perform many of the tests within a medical laboratory.

    The medical assistant is an incredible asset to any medical office and is the single reason that the office performs efficiently.  The goal of any staff of medical assistants in any office is to allow the Doctor to focus solely on the patient and the patient’s symptoms and health issues.  If the medical assistants have done their job, then the doctor will be able to focus undivided attention on the patients needs.

     

  • How Much Do Medical Assistants Make?

    Medical Assistant Wages

    The overall salary and pay scale for medical assistants varies by the type of medical specialty, geographic region, years of experience, and type of office where the medical assistant works.  There for it is difficult to pinpoint an exact amount of money that any particular person can expect to ear.  At the same time, in any discussion of how much a person makes you also need to consider all non monetary compensation.  The amount of non monetary compensation includes items such as health and retirement benefits.  Recently there was a national survey of medical assistants.  The facts below are from that nationwide survey.

    The survey found that ninety-three percent of the respondents were paid hourly.  This is an interesting fact because the medical assistant position is one that you would think would require a great deal of overtime.  As such, being paid hourly, allows the medical assistant to make more money by way of being paid for overtime.  If the average medical assistant were paid on a salary then they would not receive extra pay for overtime hours worked.  This also means that if you are a medical assistant that is working in a properly managed facility or office that you will not likely be asked to work overtime very often.  This is because any properly managed organization will attempt to minimize the possibility of having to pay overtime.

    Salary Comparison

    The following chart is a list of how much medical assistants make across the country.  These numbers are expressed as averages and as such are subject to a lot of interpretation which will be handled below.

    Number Of Years As A Medical Assistant

    Average

    under 2

    3 to 5

    6 to 9

    10 to 15

    over 16

    Hourly Wage

    $13.23

    $14.26

    $15.25

    $16.10

    $17.50

    $15.42

    The specific expected hourly wage in your particular geographic area may vary greatly.  The following chart shows the overall range of medical assistant hourly wages.  We have taken the high and the low of the geographic areas so you can see the range of discrepancy.

    States

    Number Of Years As A Medical Assistant

    Average

    under 2

    3 to 5

    6 to 9

    10 to 15

    over 16

    TN, MS, KY, GA

    $11.54

    $12.52

    $13.36

    $15.19

    $15.87

    $14.14

    CA, WA, OR

    $15.43

    $16.54

    $18.03

    $18.33

    $19.23

    $17.59

    As you can see the pacific geographic region has a much higher pay scale than the region that includes Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia.  But of course there will also be a wide discrepancy within each region.  For example, there is no doubt that a medical assistant that is working in the city of San Francisco, California is going to be paid much more than a medical assistant that is working in some small rural town of Washington.  Therefore it is best to view these charts as a guide to how much a medical assistant can make and not as set in stone.

    There are also many specialties within the medical assistant field.  For example, a medical laboratory assistant can make more if they are certified in highly specialized and technical skills.  The same goes for an administrative medical assistant that is managing a large and profitable physicians office.

    As with any job the scope of duties, the level and efficiency of your performance, as well as the profitability of your contribution to the office all combine in order to determine your overall lifetime compensation.

     

  • How To Become a Medical Assistant

    There are several ways one can go about if you are interested in becoming a medical assistant.  These include on the job training, formal college training, and vocational training.  There are not any specific requirements for a person to become a medical assistant. but if you do not already have a connection and someone ready to hire and train you, then you would be well served by entering one of the many medical assistant training programs that are available in every community.

    Specific training programs are available in almost every junior college and also available through vocational schools that have campuses in practically every city.  Every city is different and the best program to enter into within each city varies greatly.  This is an important point to understand.  The best training can be obtained from different sources depending on the city.  The best advice is that you should talk to other medical assistants or doctors in your specific city in order to determine what they feel you should do and how you should be trained.  Their advice is going to be specific to your geographic location.  They will know the best programs available to you locally.

    If you do not know any doctors or medical assistants then I suggest you look in your local employment classified advertisements and respond to the ads.   Find those offices that are hiring and talk to the interviewer.  You may have to make a few calls for every person that will talk to you, but doing this type of research is important before you choose a program.  If you cannot get in touch with a specific interviewer then talk to your personal doctor or medical assistants at your personal doctors office.  If you do not have a personal doctor, then go to a place where there are doctors offices, make it a point to drink coffee or eat nearby, and strike up a conversation with the people in these places that are wearing doctor office uniforms.  There is no better way to find out how to get a job, than by talking to those that already have the job you want.

    You do not want to take the advice of any single person, but after talking to several you should begin to hear a consistent theme from them as to what you should do.  This advice is very valuable because, as I said before, in some communities the junior college program will be the best, in other communities it will be a program from a vocational school.  Do not look at the cost yet, just find out the best program.  Once you know the best program then go see the school’s financial aid department to find out the precise amount of money it will cost you.  You may be surprised and find out that even a vocational college may be free to you.

    After attending the program that you have been directed to, then becoming a medical assistant will be simple.  You will have the proper training and any program that is recommended by other doctors and medical assistants in your community will likely be able to help you in getting your first job as a medical assistant.  This advice is not the easiest route to take, but it is the most effective.

     

  • Why Become a Medical Assistant?

    10 Reasons to Become a Medical Assistant

    The question as to why anyone would want to become a medical assistant is very easy to answer.  In fact there are dozens of reasons why one would want to have such an exiting and dynamic job.  The following are the top ten.

    1.  Work Environment -  Most medical offices are very pleasant places to be every day.  The doctors, the other medical assistants, and the patients make it rewarding and fun.  This is especially true for medical assistants because it is a rewarding career where you are helping people every day.  This alone makes people more fun to work with.  In addition to your colleagues, the overall office decor and ambiance also make medical offices a nice place to be everyday.

    2.  The Patients – If you love people then you will love working with patients.  Even though they are not well when you see them, the fact that you are helping them and working with them is incredibly rewarding.

    3.  Work Load – Most offices are busy enough to keep you interested in your work all day, and yet not so busy and burdensome as to cause too much stress.  The only thing worse than a stressful job is a boring one, medical assisting is neither.  It is a duty filled job that has a perfect balance between busy and stress.

    4.  Job Security – Medical Assistants are increasingly in demand.  There is a shortage of assistants in the United States and the future for growth is positive.

    5.  Learning - As a medical assistant you will always be learning new things.  This will keep the job exciting as well as always be a way for you to improve yourself on a daily basis.

    6.  Versatility – A medical assistant career is very versatile.  You can move from specialty to specialty with ease and still always be in demand.  You can work with patients, work with billing and insurance companies, or even work in a laboratory – the choice is yours.  The medical assistant has many available duties and options in how they want to specialize and spend their work day.

    7.  Ease of Entry – Medical assistant is one job that you can be fully trained, for on an entry level position, in less than 12 months.  With this simple training you can have your start and be ready to embark on a rewarding lifetime career path.

    8.  Portability – A medical assistant can normally find a job in any city or town rather quickly.  This means that you have a lot of options as a medical assistant and you can move if needed.  This is perfect if a spouse has a job that involves relocation – the medical assistant can adapt easily.

    9.  Compensation – The compensation you receive as a medical assistant usually starts around $30,000 a year and tops out around $45,000 or more per year.  This is on average, and the pay for those that are working in areas with a higher cost of living can make even more.

    10.  Self Actualization – The career itself is very rewarding.  You are helping others every day and you are being paid well at the same time.  The medical assistant is a career that can help you realize your dreams.

     

  • What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

    Typical Day of a Medical Assistant

    The question would almost be more easily answered if you were to ask, what doesn’t a medical assistant do?  The reason for this is because the medical assistant literally performs every task within a medical office that the physician herself does not perform.  This means that every task within a medical office that does not require a medical license to perform, is completed by a medical assistant.

    What Does A Medical Assistant DoIf we run through a typical office visit it will be easy to see all of the tasks of medical assistants.  The first thing you do when you plan to go to a general practice doctor’s office is you make an appointment. The appointment you make, is with a medical assistant.  Oftentimes before your appointment day, you receive a reminder in the mail or even a phone call from the Doctor’s office.  That mailer and phone call were done by medical assistants.

    Once you arrive to the office you are greeted by a medical assistant.  That assistant hands you a clipboard where you are to complete information about yourself.  Once completed your medical information is reviewed, input into a computer, and filed in a physical file, all by medical assistants.  While you are waiting to be admitted to your patient room, another medical assistant analyzes the reason for your visits and verifies that it is covered by your specific insurance policy.

    When you are called into your patient room, you are called by, and led to the room by, a medical assistant.  That medical assistant usually discusses with you the reason for your visit and then takes your blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate and documents it on your chart.  They also discuss with your your symptoms and they determine what you need to do to prepare for the doctor.  If you need to be in a hospital gown, they will have you change, if you need your shirt off, they will have you do that, if you need to simply wait, they will let you wait.

    The medical assistant then discusses with the doctor the reason for your visit and what you have said about your symptoms.  Then the doctor will come in with the medical assistant to your patient room and review your health issue, and then prescribe the course of action to be taken.  The medical assistant documents all of the information conveyed.  The doctor then leaves and the medical assistant shows you how to do what the doctor has recommended, and makes certain you understand what you are to do.  They also provide with pamphlets or any other needed information regarding what the doctor advises.

    You then leave the patient room with whatever office issued medical supplies and pamphlets that the medical assistant provides and you are asked to make your follow up appointment with another medical assistant.  At this time the previous medical assistant updates your chart and conveys to the billing medical assistant what supplies you were given and the amount to bill for the time spent with the Doctor.

    As you can see from the above, the medical assistant does everything that the doctor does not do in any given medical office.  There are specialty medical assistants that have specific duties or in some offices a single assistant does many of the tasks described above.

     

  • What Is A Medical Assistant?

    Medical Assistant Overview

    A medical assistant is a person that has specialized training that allows them to work in Doctors offices, medical clinics, medical group offices, and to a lesser extent hospitals.  They are normally very versatile in ability as well as multi-faceted in training.  The classifications within the title of medical assistant ranges from clinical to administrative.  There are medical assistants that specialize in one particular task and others that are able to fulfill multiple roles.

    What Is a Medical AssistantThe tasks that a medical assistant is asked to perform is completely dependent upon the work environment and type of office the medical assistant choses to work in.  As would be expected, the larger and busier the office, the more highly specialized the medical assistants tasks.  In smaller offices the medical assistant would be more likely to have multiple primary responsibilities.  Overall the medical assistant does everything within the medical office short of the duties that are specifically reserved for the Doctor.

    Administrative medical assistants are the individuals within a medical office that are primarily responsible for keeping the administration of the medical office in order.  This includes the managing of prescriptions, verifications and the updating of patient charts for these prescriptions.  They are also responsible for handling the billing for the entire medical office.  This would include the complexity of dealing with multiple insurance companies as well as seeking governmental reimbursements from agencies that pay for the care for people that are not insured.  The administrative medical assistant also handles client scheduling as well as office bookkeeping.

    Clinical medical assistants are the medical assistants that actually physically interact What is a Medical Assistantwith the patient.  It is the clinical medical assistant that helps you to the patient room and talks to you about your health issues.  They update your chart and take all of your vital signs.  From blood pressure to heart rate.  The clinical medical assistant can also take blood, give shots, and even perform simple medical procedures under the direction of the Doctor.  This medical assistant is also responsible for clarifying with the patient their symptoms.  It is not uncommon for a patient to be asked a series of questions, by the clinical medical assistant, before the Doctor arrives.  The medical assistant will then relay the answers to the Doctor before she enters the patient room.  It is very common for the clinical medical assistant to serve in this “middle person” capacity.

    The medical assistant is a person that performs every duty within a medical office other than medical diagnosis and procedures.  Even though there were two types of medical assistants described above, there are actually many other types of medical assistants.   But the two classifications above were used in order to show the range of expectations that may be associated with a medical assistant.  Certainly if you wish to do more of one task or less of another, then you would want to seek out a position in an office that allows for that type of specialization.  But if you wanted to do a little of everything then you would seek out a smaller office where everyone is allowed to, and even needed to, perform all of the necessary tasks.  The choice is yours.