Gone are the days of clip boards and medical charts carried by the medical assistant, or nurse. Today’s medical assistants, especially certified medical assistants, are headed toward the future and need to be prepared and well trained in Information Technology ( IT) and computer applications. Many are carrying iPads, smart phones, tablet PCs, and other high tech mobile devices that are directly linked to a central database, or are designed to upload into a central unit.  
 
A tremendous amount of medical centers, hospitals, ambulatory health clinics, and doctor’s offices are looking for medical assistants trained in computer applications which includes proficiency in appointment scheduling, electronic medical record (EMR) management, medical terminology,  understanding and managing computer databases,  medical transcription, and bookkeeping etc… Some medical assistants may be required to perform medical  billing and coding, medical insurance claims processing, and utilizing CPT and ICD-9 diagnostic codes (soon upgraded to the new ICD-10 already used in Canada and many European countries). 
 
Judy Jondahl, director of accreditation for the American Association of Medical Assistant (AAMA) who certify thousands of medical assistants year after year, reported that associate degree programs in medical assisting are now putting a bigger focus on information technology skills and requiring IT competency as part of the their curriculum. Two year degree or Associates Certified Medical Assistants programs can provide most of the up to date computer applications training you need to compete in todays computer tech world.  Having these skill will not only help you to get hired, but it would also allow you to earn more than the average or less qualified non-certified medical assistants. 

Based on my own first-hand experiences as a former Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) I agree with the study mentioned in the recently published article on the CNN News website titled Why Physicians Lie, and find the statement that the doctor-patient relationship is a complex one to be accurate.

Difficult Situations In A Medical Office

Dealing with people who are sick, or have health concerns and feel out of control can be difficult and stressful. Certain medical and healthcare establishments are busier than others by nature, and some experience a higher stress level internally or among their patients depending on the medical specialty and sub-specialty focus area. A pediatric hematology and oncology deparment, or an OB/Gyn clinic, where the work load is heavy, the hours long, the liability high, and the outcome of a treatment plan not always easily predicatable can quickly drive the stress level up on both sides. Certain seasons, like the cold and flu, or allergy season can leave both, the patient and the medical office staff flustered, hoping for better days, especially in a pediatric or internal medicine practice. This is where the doctor’s medical assistants can make a world of a difference. 

Medical Assistant: I’ve Got The Power!

Remember the old-school classic by Snap! “I’ve got the power“? This definitely is a song a medical assistant can sing a song about, however, often the medical assistant remains the unsung hero of the medical office.

Medical assistants are the first line representative and “point of service” of the modern medical practice and in an excellent position, often in a better one than the doctor, to recognize, alleviate and ease some of the daily stresses and frustrations through courteous interactions and excellent interpersonal communications skills; as a matter of fact, the medical assistant is often the ONLY person who can put patients at ease even BEFORE they are seen by the doctor in the examination room through mindful interaction and a gentle touch.

How the Medical Assistant Makes a Difference

Doctors generally agree that they depend quite heavily on their medical assisting staff member’s knowledge and skills to make the day go over well and keep their practice on track.

As far as difficult situations, no one wants to be the bearer of bad news, and doctors are just as human as their patients. To tell a mother her child has a serious disease is never easy. This is where true empathy will make a world of a difference to the patient, and make the doctor’s job and day a little easier.

A friendly “hello, how are you” can go a long way, along with a gentle reminder discretely passed on to the doctor that he/she is on running on schedule, that a patient didn’t show and there is room for a brief break, or that h/she is starting to fall behind the schedule and need to speed up the pace a little to catch up. You can learn more about the medical assisting career here.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 68.1 percent of 2010 high school graduates are enrolled in colleges or universities, which means that close to 32% of high school graduates will be entering the job market immediately, or seeking post high school education programs from vocational schools. 

Considering the Current Job Market

The unemployment rate for recent high school graduates not enrolled in school was 33.4 percent, compared with 22.8 percent for recent graduates enrolled in college. In layman terms, approximately 1 million people ages 16 through 24 are all in a sudden, and all at once looking for careers, or direction that would lead them towards a happy and prosperous life style through a meaningful career. Now when you add in the number of people who are currently out of work and/or looking to make career changes, then the competition for a good job looks bleak, however, on the flip side, for those who are actively engaged and carefully plotting their career path the future is actually looking very bright, if they choose wisely.  

Medical Assistant Career Path Opportunities

The one career path that still holds a lot of promise in the United States and around the world is in the field of healthcare, in particular, the career or job as a medical assistant. For most people, medical assistant is the one career, or job a person can start right out of high school in most states.  Some doctors and medical centers offer on the job training. But the best way to obtain the knowledge you need to be proficient in this craft is to attend some formal training; online or in a classroom.  

Advantages of Becoming a Medical Assistant 

The first advantage a career in medical assisting has is take home medical assistant pay. When you consider someone basically coming right out of high school the medical assistant’s wages are quite attractive for someone who is just starting out. The lowest 10 percent of people in this field, usually entry level, earn around $20,600 per year.  The highest 10 percent can earn as much as $40,000 per year. Those working in large regional medical centers and hospitals tend to earn even more than those working in physicians offices, outpatient care centers, or health practitioners.  

The second advantage the medical assisting career offers is opportunity for mobility.  Medical assistant is the one career that gives you an overall view of the healthcare industry as a whole.  A medical assistant working in an hospital gets to observe and pickup additional skills outside his or her normal job duties.  For instance, the medical assistant takes a patient in, takes the vital signs, brings the patient to the doctor, assistst and observes the doctor, refers them to a specialist, or medical technician, such as a phlebotomist, or x-ray technician, again observes and learns, reads the lab reports and other findings to the doctor, and handles many other clinical and administrative duties, such as medical billing, so essential to the health care deliver and medical system.

Medical Assisting As a Spring Board for Higher Goals

This experience provides the person with a foundation to use as a spring board to move on to the next level such as Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) or a specialty medical technician, or technologist, e.g. in the laboratory, for which many hospitals and medical centers now offer free training or pays for the training on behalf of the employee. A person can literally move all the way from medical assistant to hospital administrator, nurse, or even doctor, if they take advantage of the educational offers so readily available in every state. In the end, the best advantage are the rewards you get from helping others in your community: Priceless.

Photo Credits: Class photo from Ana Rose, Deviant Art.

Phoenix posted the following question in our medical assistant forum: 

Friend With Criminal Record Wants to Become a Medical Assistant
My friend lives in California an considered becoming a MA. The problem is she has a criminal record. She wants to better her life now and start over. Will anyone hire her with such a background.

Preemployment Criminal Background Check 

When potential employers and recruiters review an application for employment and they see a gap of x amount of months, or years, a red flag comes up. I know medical assistants who were arrested and spent time in jail, changed their lives but have a hard time finding employment to earn a living wage and move on. 

Finding a job for someone who has legal or criminal issues is difficult, even if it was just for a misdemeanor. Many companies today run background checks and employers use standardized application forms to screen people out. If an application form did not ask for the information, it is probably not relevant to the position, however, if it specifically asks: have you ever been convicted of a felony, then the answer should be yes, and you can list the offense. 

Unless the application asked specifically about convictions, it is okay to avoid bringing it up as a reason for leaving any prior employment. On the application, I would put “personal reasons.”  

How to Proceed On the Application and Face-To-Face Interview

Do not add on your application: I went to prison on the application form where it asks for the reason for leaving any prior employment, but rather, and if you must, put “personal reasons”, or “will  discuss at interview” and then discuss it during the interview. 

During the face-to-face interview do this: 

1. Bring it up early
2. Be upfront
3. Admit to making a mistake
4. Say you have learned from this
5. Keep it short
6.  Move on 

It may take longer to get an interview then normal, but once you got it, be upfront. Your discussion with the interviewer should be honest and brief! Brief answers should go along the lines that you have made a mistake and paid for it, you have learned a valuable lesson, and would like a chance to prove to yourself and the community that you are a better person than that. That’s it! Generalize rather that specify, and provide only what was requested. 

“I would like an opportunity to speak to you about my past problems with the law privately.” 

If the interviewer wants to know more, answer all questions politely, accurately, and without shame. Your reactions and demeanor will add to the over all impression that you fully understand the mistake you have made, intend to work hard, and not go back to your old ways. The interview is your chance to talk about your skills, discuss details of the job, and not to dwell on the ugly part of your past. Try to keep the conversation as general as possible and continue to remind the employer that it was in the past, you have made restitution, and moved on. 

Everybody Deserves a Second Chance

Whenever someone is finger printed this record stays on file with the FBI for ever, even after an expungement, or when the charges were dropped the deferment will always be visible to law enforcement, the court system, and government agencies. 

ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP 

Many states and communities in most states have so-called vocational rehab (VR), Work Force Development, and One-Stop Career Center services, some sponsored privately, others sponsored by the US Department of Labor to assist ex-offenders and felons seeking work. Also, there often are various community self-help agencies and workshops specifically targeted toward individuals coming out of jail and trying to make a new start. My recommendation is to explore these options in your own state.

Texas:

• Project RIO (Reintegration Of Offenders)

California: 

• Visalia Re-Entry Center (Turning Point, REAP Training Program) is a private company categorized under Employment Agencies and Opportunities that involves a wide network of employers who are willing to give felons a second chance. 
• FEAP (Fresno Employment Assistance & Placement).  

Alaska: 

• Alaska’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development has a Fidelity Bond which offers the employer as an incentive to hire a felon.  The bond protects the employer from losses up to $25,000.00 with approval from the bonding contractor. 

Finally, those seeking a medical assistant job or vocational training that leads to medical assitant diploma should contact the school, or the Department of Education to find out whether they will qualify for federal educational funding, and also contact the AAMA legal department to  find out if a former conviction will keep you from taking their medical assistant certification exam and working as a CMA.

Most certified medical assistants today are trained in the art of venipuncture and phlebotomy. While medical assistants do not draw arterial blood samples, they are able to obtain blood from a vein, usually in the arm,  do the finger sticks and ear lobe pricks, quick test urines, and spin the blood tubes and preserve the viability of the sample until it gets to the lab.

What Is a Phlebotomist Technician?

The phlebotomist technician is a specialized member of the allied health and interdisciplinary medical services team, whose primary focus lies in the area of blood collection and preserving blood and blood related specimens for diagnostic purposes. In this role they are instrumental to letting people regain or improve their health. Phlebotomist technicians collect blood, urine, and certain other body fluid samples as requested by a physician so that blood tests can be run in a laboratory. They also are qualified to run automated analyzers, equipment and standardized blood test and cultures in the hematology lab themselves. One big employer, to name just one, for phlebotomists and phlebotomy technicians in many locations across the USA is Quest Diagnostics.

Can you see yourself in the role of a phlebotomist providing services to people who are seeking answers regarding their health? Can you imagine yourself helping them by collecting their blood for analysis so that a diagnosis can be made and a treatment plan can be prescribed?

Medical Assisting and Blood Collection Training

Medical assistant training programs are readily available throughout the USA and Canada, and most only take 9-11 months form start to finish. Phlebotomy training programs are even shorter. They may take from just a couple weeks to a couple months.

While most medical assistant training incorporates various blood collection simulations on a synthetic arm, followed by hands-on practice on real persons, typically a fellow student, and later on, on real patients at an externship site to solidify the techniques practied in class. Those medical assistants who are interested in focusing strictly on this career must keep in mind that it is definitely not for the  squeamish and it can become stressful at times, especially when dealing with fearful children, and people who are afraid of needles, or faint at the sight of blood.

If you are at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma and are highly intersted and motivated then you should continue your research, learn all there is to know about the medical assisting and phlebotomy career and take the next step… enroll in either a medical assistant or phlebotomy training program near you to achieve your dream.

Reliable Sources of Further Information

The PhlebotomyTech.com and CertMedAssistant.com websites continue to provide prospective medical assistant students and aspiring phlebotomists with valuable information on all aspects of these rewarding careers, including how to get certified and succeed. Page, after page, you learn about what a phlebotomist or medical assistant is, does, and needs to know to earn their credentials. These websites also lets prospective program students instantly locate and explore vocational training schools online. The so-called “Find a School by ZIP code widget” on top of every page throughout these sites provide reliable school information and lets you research more than one school at a time, thus saving tons of time.

Can you see yourself in the role of a phlebotomist providing services to people who are seeking answers regarding their health? Can you imagine yourself helping them by collecting their blood for analysis so that a diagnosis can be made and a treatment plan can be prescribed?

The phlebotomist is a specialized member of the allied health and interdisciplinary medical services team, whose primary focus lies in the area of blood collection and preserving blood and blood related specimens for diagnostic purposes. In this role they are instrumental to letting people regain or improve their health. Phlebotomists collect blood, urine, and certain other body fluid samples as requested by a physician so that blood tests can be run in a laboratory. One big employer, to name just one, for phlebotomists and phlebotomy technicians in many locations across the USA is Quest Diagnostics.  

Formal phlebotomy training is readily available and affordable. It usually incorporates various blood collection simulations on a synthetic arm, followed by hands-on practice on real persons, typically a fellow student, and later on, on real patients at an externship site to solidify the techniques practied in class. Those interested in this career must keep in mind that it is definitely not for the  squeamish. 

Most phlebotomy training program graduates decide to become certified upon completion of their training. Certification is a document that affirms that a person’s knowledge meets basic requirements of established industry standards and is proficient to do the job. Furthermore, industry recognized certifications provide credentials that create trust with employers and the public. One example of a trusted certification sponsor in the USA is the American Medical Technologists (AMT), a well recognized and respected allied health professional membership association that holds their Registered Phlebotomist Technician (RPT) examination via Prometric testing throught the year.

So, if this is for you, and you are at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma and are highly motivated then you should continue your research, learn all there is to know about the phlebotomy career and take the next step… enroll in a phlebotomy training program near you.

If you want to become a medical assistant your objective is to find credible and certified medical assistant schools and programs in your local area. There are medical assisting self-study courses that you can take online to obtain your medical assistant degree or certification.Most states offer medical assistant training in both the public and private sector. This includes training from post-secondary vocational schools, vocational training institutions that are privately owned and for profit, and community colleges which are funded by the community and state, and not for profit. Generally the training and diploma programs at any of these schools are one to one-and-a-half years. There also are online accredited medical assistant schools with programs to complete and earn a recognized vocational diploma completely online.

The Medical Assistant Net website continues to provide prospective medical assistant students with valuable information about all aspects of the medical assistant career. Page, after page, you learn about what a medical assistant is, does, and needs to know. The site also lets prospective medical assistant students instantly locate and explore vocational training schools online.

The so-called “Find a School by ZIP code” widget on top of every page throughout the Medical Assistant Net website allows immediate information and lets them research more than one school at a time. Medical assistant training programs are readily available throughout the USA and Canada, and there is one for everybody that wishes to become a medical assistant often in just 9-11 months!

If you are highly motivated and see yourself eventually pursuing a career in nursing or higher, we strongly recommend that you enroll in a 2 year program at a local college or online program from a college leading to an associate in applied science degree (AS or AAS). In many cases, some of the college credits you have earned in an associate degree program can be transferred into another higher education program, e.g. to become a licensed practical nurse, RN, or earn a related Bachelors degree, such as in hospital administration, medical technician, ultrasound technologist, and health care management in the future. 

Do you have what it takes to become a medical assistant? Almost all medical offices, practices and clinics are now employing between one and three medical assistants, it not more, to help them run and manage their business. Patients are considered customers and medical assistants are the first line representative when they come to see the doctor. While the doctor conducts an objective and subjective assessment of the patient’s medical needs and prescribes a treatment plan and medications, it is the medical assistant who is responsible for all other business and customer service aspects of the visit, directly or indirectly, since telephone calls are also answered and routed by the  medical assistant. 

Traits Of The Modern Medical Assistant

Medical assistants must the flexible and responsive and caring as they assist the doctor. As now and existing patients arrive for their appointment they document their demographic and health insurance information to register them into the system, help them fill out forms, copy insurance cards and verify health insurance eligibility, take vital signs, take and route messages for the doctor, respond to prescription refill requests, manage the patient’s medical records, maintain the waiting room, reception area, examination rooms, storage, supply and archive closets, and greet patients as they arrive. For every nurse in an ambulatory medical office or facility is at least one, or two medical assistant helping with crucial tasks, however, medical assistants are not allowed to do any tasks that lie outside their scope of practice. 

Politely Correcting Misunderstandings

The medical assistant should immediately correct the misunderstanding and politely tell the patient that he, or she is a medical assistant who works for doctor “so-and-so”. Such misunderstandings can easily be prevented by wearing a clearly visible name tag and via proper introduction right at the beginning of every appointment visit. It only takes a second to say, my name is Paula, I am your doctor’s medical assistant. Proper introduction at the workplace falls right in line with professional conduct, excellent communication and customer service skills in the medical office. It is only through effective communication that medical assistants are able to identify the goals of individual people and the healthcare system.

To function effectively in their role as a medical assistant they must be informed and skilled participants in all areas of the medical office. They are expected to interact well with others and communicate well under different conditions. The development of required knowledge and skills is dependent upon their commitment to seeking out continuing education learning experiences across the entire spectrum of medical office and health care services.

We often receive questions from aspiring medical assistants about medical assistant salaries, how much a new medical assistant can expect to earn and what the average wages for experienced medical assistants who graduated from a medical assisting training program might be.

Unfortunately there are so many facets to the medical assisting career and too many nuances depending on the job’s location, local job market, employer’s expectations, work work load, hours, and benefits that it is nearly impossible to answer this question regarding medical assistant pay with an exact figure.

Who Pays Better Medical Assistant Wages?

We know that family and  general primary care physicians do not pay their medical assistants nearly as much as doctors in specialty offices can offer, mostly because primary care physicians often are members of HMOs and bound by contracts with the health care insurance companies, such as Medicare, Blue Cross – Blue Shield, Tricare, and such. Whatever they pay out to them, which is often much less than billed, must first cover the doctor’s salary, and then office expenses, utilities, supplies, professional malpractice insurance premiums, professional membership dues and fees, licenses and continuing education expenses, before they pay their staff. Often, there is not much left to go around and the medical assistant is often the person lowest on the totem pole, so to speak.

On the other hand, health and medical services from specialty physicians, or surgeons often are more complex so they cost more, and the doctor earns more and can afford to pay the medical assistant a better salary.

Average Medical Assistant Hourly Wage

If a medical assistant’s annual salary is $38,000 working 2,000 hours a year, it is the equivalent to an average hourly wage of $19 per hour. As a simple baseline calculation, you can assume two weeks of paid vacation per year. That leaves 50 working weeks, and if you work the typical 40 hours a week, then you have a total of 2,000 hours of work each year. In this case, you can quickly compute the hourly wage by dividing the annual salary by 2000. 

Here is a small selection of medical assistant jobs and other related medical office jobs in Western Massachusetts as seen on the Indeed.com medical assistant salary guide on 10 February 2012, which gives you a general idea and simple baseline. As you see in the below examples, annual salaries range anywhere between $67,000 for the occupational therapy assistant and $27,000 for the medical administrative assistant in our area.

There are many older workers who are preparing for work in this increasingly competitive job market. Even though many citizens ages 50 and older acquired limited skills doing their work history, they are now being hired in skilled jobs that provide good benefits and in some cases may supplement their SSI and Medicare. Many jobs are open to them in teaching, nursing, and medical office environments. 

Free Education and Training Programs for Senior Adults

What you might find is surprising is that there are many education and training programs available to the older population. Nearly 60 percent of accredited colleges or universities are granting tuition waivers for older adults. For example; there’s a Senior Adults Scholarship Program in Alabama that provides free tuition for mature citizens ages 60 and over, who are admitted into a public two-year college or university. The state of Tennessee offers tuition waivers and discounts for senior citizens. Many schools in Michigan offer tuition waivers for seniors. Bottom line is you have to check or research your particular state.

If you are a military veteran with a service connected disability, you may qualify for the Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Program.  This program allows veterans with a service connected disability of 10% of more to attend college. Tuition, fees and books are fully covered by the US Government.  There’s also a monthly subsistence allowance paid; amount varies on number of dependents; however some veteran programs have limitations on taking online courses. See your Vet representative or visit www.va.gov for more information.

There are many public employment and training service programs available like the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP), website: http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/.

This program enables individuals to participate in temporary training assignments where they gain valuable on-the-job work experience and training needed to gain employment in the private sector. Again this program may vary from state to state.

If you are really looking to get back to work or retrain. Whether you want to work full-time, or part-time, one the best careers fields to enter into is the healthcare industry. Many citizens 50 and older find working as a medical office receptionist, administrative medical assistant, medical billing clerk and/or in the medical coding department of a smaller medical practice, or hospital very a rewarding job that they can keep pace with.

For those who are looking to supplement their social security income, you must check with your SSI office to find out what or if there are any limitations on income you can receive. You might be limited to working 20 hours or less a week.