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Medical Assistant

Medical Assistant Job Description
Medical Assistants are some of the most versatile members of the healthcare and medical profession. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks in medical offices and clinics. In a small practice, they may handle both administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the practitioner, while medical assistants in a large practice tend to specialize in a particular areas and report to department adminstrators. Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose and treat patients under physician supervision.

Administrative duties can include answering phones, maintaining patient medical records, filling out insurance forms, scheduling appointments, arranging hospital admission and lab services, and handling billing and bookkeeping. Clinical duties vary according to state laws. Clinical duties may include taking medical histories, taking vital signs, explaining procedures, and assisting physicians during examinations. They can also include the collection and handling of lab specimens, instructing patients about medications, administering medications and more.

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Medical Assistant Employment
Medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians; 12 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. Most of the remainder worked in other health care industries such as outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities.

Medical Assistant Career Outlook
Employment of Medical Assistants is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2016 as the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that during 2006 to 2016, medical assistant jobs will increase 35.4%, resulting in 148,000 new jobs for medical assistants. Employment growth will be driven by the increase in the number of group practices, clinics, and other health care facilities that need a high proportion of support personnel, particularly the flexible medical assistant who can handle both administrative and clinical duties.

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Medical Assistant Training and Advancement
Medical assistants, rarerly if ever, receive full on-the-job training these days. Moderate on-th-job training can occur for specialized tasks and depending on the state. There are accredited training programs throughout the country that offer certificate and degree programs. To be eligible to sit for the CMA exam, applicants must have completed a training program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). According to Salary.com, 88.59% of the Medical Assistants in their 2008 survey held either a certificate or associate degree. The knowledge and training received in a qualified program will help candidates prepare for the national CMA examination. The CMA exam is held three times a year. The CMA credential must be renewed every 5 years, either by earning the required continued education units during the 5 years or by passing the recertification exam. Employers prefer to hire medical assistants with the CMA credential because it ensures a certain level of knowledge and expertise which adheres to current technologies and practices.

• Human anatomy, physiology and pathology
• Medical terminology
• Keyboarding and computer applications
• Recordkeeping and accounting
• Coding and insurance processing
• Laboratory techniques
• Clinical and diagnostic procedures
• Pharmacology
• Medication administration
• First aid
• Office practices
• Patient relations
• Medical law and ethics

Medical Assistant Salary
The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary medical assistants were $26,290 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $21,970 and $31,210. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,860, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $36,840. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical assistants in May 2006 were:

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The CMA Certification - The Gold Standard of the Medical Assistant Profession
The CMA (AAMA) is considered the gold standard of medical assisting professionalism. Offered by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the CMA (AAMA) represents a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) who has been credentialed through the AAMA. The CMA (AAMA) means a professional edge, increased prestige among peers and employers, better job security, and greater career advancement opportunities.

How to Get Professional Certification
In order to become a CMA (AAMA), candidates must first graduate from an Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) accredited medical assisting program. Second, candidates must pass the CMA Certification/Recertfiication Examination. This exam is offered three times a year in January, June, and October.

Additional Certifications for Medical Assistants
Certain specializations have credentials that are awarded to medical assistants in those fields. The American Medical Technologists awards the Registered Medical Assistant credential. The American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants awards the Podiatric Medical Assistant Certified Credential. The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology awards the Ophthalmic Medical Assistant credential at three levels: Certified Ophthalmic Assistant, Certified Ophthalmic Technician, and Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist.

Medical Assistant Professional Organizations

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