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Medical Assistant
Medical assistants are multi-skilled professionals dedicated to assisting in patient care management. Their clinical training is designed for assisting physicians' in an office or clinical setting. Medical assistants perform a wide variety of administrative tasks including scheduling, billing, and insurance processing. Clinical duties include patient preparation and education, taking vital signs, charting, and the administration of medications including injections. They are also trained to perform routine laboratory tests.
- Less than 2 years
- 2 year Associates Degree
More medical assistants are employed by practicing physicians than any other type of allied health personnel. The employment prospects for this field are strong and there will continue to be a demand for formally educated medical assistants.
Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005 as the health services industry expands.
Employment growth will be driven by growth in the number of group and other health care practices that use support personnel. Medical assistants primarily work in outpatient settings, where fast growth is expected. Most job openings, however, will result from the need to replace experienced assistants who leave the occupation.
In view of the high turnover as well as the preference of many physicians for trained personnel, job prospects should be excellent for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly those with certification.
Workers in other medical support occupations include medical secretaries, hospital admitting clerks, pharmacy helpers, medical record clerks, dental assistants, occupational therapy aides, and physical therapy aides.
$23,000
*NATIONAL MEDIAN SALARIES CITED COURTESY OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SOURCES:
- UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- 2003 ASHA Omnibus Survey
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