Medical Assistant Training

This site provides information on medical assistant training which lets you pursue a career as a medical assistant. Information provided includes a directory of schools that offer medical assistant training, along with forms to request additional information.

Medical Assistant Work: Medical assistants can fill a wide variety of roles ranging from assisting in patient care to performance of medical office work. In smaller clinics and facilities, the medical assistant’s job tends to have a wider range of responsibilities. In larger facilities, medical assistants are likely to specialize in one area. The medical assistant can be assigned to answer phones, handle medical records, work with medical billing, assist in hospital admission, or many other office duties. Medical assistants also get actively involved in medical care, including taking patient vital signs, taking medical histories, preparing patients for exams, and assisting the physician during exams. Medical assistants also help in the taking and processing of specimens, performance of basic lab tests, sterilization of medical instruments, drawing of blood, and much more.

Medical Assistant Skills: Medical assistants must be able to understand and act on detailed instructions in an accurate manner, and they also require good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. In addition, medical assistants must have strong personal skills as they have substantial interaction with patients, and need to be able to explain what the physician’s instructions mean, communicate information about the medical procedures that are about to take place, and help the patients relax during the process.

Medical Assistant Training Courses: Medical assistant training courses include accounting, anatomy, medical insurance processing, medical terminology, medical record keeping, medical transcription, physiology, and typing. In addition, medical assistant students typically assist in substantial clinical work. This clinical work includes lab techniques, diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, administration of medication, and first aid. Medical assistant training also may involve office practices, patient relations, medical law, ethics, and may include internships in a hospital or other healthcare facility.

Medical Assistant Employment: The job market for medical assistants is growing much faster than average, as an aging population and an increased demand for quality of care are increasing the demand for trained healthcare professionals. While a large portion of medical assistants today work in hospitals, job growth is being driven by the growth in group practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Medical assistants are one of the fastest growing occupations overall.