Medical Assistant Edge

Medical assistant certification is voluntary, as it is not required by law for a working medical assistant to be certified. This course covers practical topics relevant to performing clinical exam room procedures, such as taking vital signs, EKGs, patient education, infection control, asepsis, preparation and administration of medications, treatment assisting, and medical emergencies.

Students with aspirations of exploring more advanced degrees down the road may also choose to complete an associate's degree program as a way to be able to transfer coursework and accelerate the process of working toward a bachelor's degree in the medical field.

Many employers prefer to hire medical assistants with this qualification, so it is easier to find a job if you have it. You do need to become recertified every five years, but the added benefits of certification are worth the time and money necessary to get and keep this qualification.

These clinical duties include the preparation of patients for examination and treatment, taking of blood pressure, temperature and pulse, administration of medication, carrying out phlebotomy and other medical procedures, taking x-rays and electrocardiograms, sterilization of equipment and even helps with minor office surgery.

The program must include at least 720 clock hours of medical assisting, including a clinical externship of at least 160 hours. Clinical Medical Assistant comprises 450 hours (combined classroom & externship). You will have to earn 15 credits in General Studies for Medical Assistants and 50 credits (three semesters) of Medical Assistant core courses.

While certification is not always required to start work as a medical assistant, becoming certified can greatly improve your job prospects upon graduation. Ultimate Medical Academy offers an associate of science in medical administrative assisting. Specialized practices may require an ability to perform specific duties, or additional training may be required to work at certain healthcare facilities.

Graduates of the Medical Assistant program are eligible to take the Certification Exam of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The medical assisting diploma program at Wake Tech follows a hybrid format, combining online course delivery with on-the-ground requirements at the Perry Health Sciences campus in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Medical assistants need to be able to discuss patient information with other medical personnel, such as physicians. Graduates can qualify to sit for the national certified clinical medical assistant exam. That makes them both shorter and less expensive than most post-secondary education programs, like those for four-year bachelor degrees.

Physician assistants perform medicine or treat patients with the supervision of doctors while MAs are to perform both clinical and clerical tasks. While medical assistant job duties aren't completely free of stress, these allied healthcare workers have far less on their shoulders.

We've looked into some of the best online programs in Pennsylvania, basing our findings on an institution's class sizes, student-teacher ratio, and overall graduation rate. Most medical assistants work in primary care and their job outlook is highest if they are certified.

If you're ever wondering What does a Medical Assistant do?” you can let them know that they ensure that healthcare offices are up and running by managing both in the clerical and clinical field. The medial assisting degree is also beneficial to students who are looking to complete an associate degree to advance their employment in the healthcare field.