Signs a Career as a Medical Assistant is Right for You
The healthcare field is rapidly growing and some careers in the field are expanding at much faster rates than others. If you’re interested in starting a career in healthcare, you might be interested in looking at the jobs that are likely to offer the most opportunities in the years to come.
One health career that is likely to have plenty of job opportunities in the near future is medical assisting. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment of medical assistants will grow by 29% by 2026, considerably faster than for other occupations[1].
If medical assisting sounds like an interesting career option, there are a few ways to tell if it’ll be a good fit for you, your skills and your interests. Here are a few signs that a career as a medical assistant is a good choice for you.
You’re Ready to Start Your Career
If you’re already finished high school and are looking to get into the workforce quickly, you might want to consider medical assisting. Earning a post-secondary career certificate in medical assisting can prepare you for your first job and for either the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exams.
The career certificate program can be completed in about 14 months, after which you’ll be ready to jump into your first job. Becoming either a CMA or RMA will improve your job options and earnings potential.
You Like Working With People
A medical assistant usually wears many hats throughout the course of a day on the job. Typically, the role requires a mix of administrative and clinical skills[2]. Whether you’re sitting behind the desk, greeting patients or taking patients into the exam room to start their appointments, you’re going to find yourself interacting with people throughout the day.
Along with working with patients, you’ll also be working as part of a medical team that might include registered nurses, doctors and other medical providers. Having people skills and being able to work well with others are must-have for medical assistants.
You’re Looking for a Stable Career
A career as a medical assistant is likely to be a steady one. Medical assistants are in-demand and that demand is growing. If you’re looking for a career that will pretty much always provide the opportunity to work, medical assisting might be perfect for you.
Along with offering the option of steady work, many medical assistant positions offer a regular schedule. Many medical assistants work 40 hour weeks, from 9 am to 5 pm. Although the majority are employed in physicians’ offices, there are also opportunities available in hospitals, outpatient care centers and chiropractic offices[1].
You’re Cool Under Pressure
Whether you end up working in healthcare or another field, every job becomes stressful from time to time. There might be moments of stress or high-stakes situations in the career of a medical assistant. For instance, an emergency might mean that the practice you work for is flooded with patients one day or a patient might be in particularly dire circumstances.
If you can stay calm even when the stakes are high, and you don’t mind a bit of drama from time to time, working as a medical assistant might be perfect for you.
You Aren’t Squeamish About Needles (or the Human Body)
Medical assistants usually perform some clinical tasks and might provide some basic healthcare to patients. You might need to weigh patients, take their blood pressure or perform a basic lab test. You might also need to remove sutures or change dressings on patients’ wounds. In some cases, you might have to take blood samples.
If you don’t mind the sight of needles and aren’t squeamish about a bit of blood, you might find that you’re cut out to work as a medical assistant.
Want to learn more about a career as a medical assistant and the training that can help you start your career? Orange Technical College offers medical assisting career certificates at three of our campuses. To learn more about our programs and how to apply, contact us for more information today.
Sources:
- “Medical Assistants,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 12, 2019, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-6
- “What is a Medical Assistant?,” AAMA-NTL, https://www.aama-ntl.org/medical-assisting/what-is-a-medical-assistant