A Medical Assistant (MA) plays a vital role in the healthcare team, handling administrative tasks, assisting in exams, and working in the physician office lab. They act as a crucial link between doctors and patients, ensuring the success of the medical practice. Pursuing a career as an MA comes with distinct benefits including pride, respect, and exclusive opportunities within this profession.
There are five keys to becoming a professional in the medical assistant field. The first key is character. Character defines who you are and your values. As a medical assistant, it is important to uphold ethical standards and present yourself professionally. Medical assistants choose to hold themselves accountable for their actions and adhere to a higher level of performance and conduct compared to others in the healthcare industry. Trust forms the basis for all relationships, and MAs recognize that honesty, truthfulness, and trustworthiness are essential elements of trust. MAs take responsibility for their work.
Medical Assistants, through their appearance, posture, actions, and interactions with others, maintain a professional image and possess a thorough understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Passion and a positive attitude are essential for success in this profession as MAs actively seek out opportunities to take on responsibility without depending on others or becoming disheartened by setbacks. They recognize that surpassing expectations in their current positions leads to career advancement and personal growth.
Seek opportunities to learn new skills and welcome additional roles and responsibilities that challenge and help them grow. Once committed to a task or goal, Medical Assistants show determination and persistence until they achieve it. They value teamwork and understand the importance of serving others. They strive for excellence and consistently push themselves to do their best work. As professional Medical Assistants, they actively listen when others are speaking.
When interacting with individuals, it is important to give them your full attention and treat them respectfully. It is crucial to stay focused on the task at hand and avoid getting distracted. Medical Assistants (MAs) always aim to understand their responsibilities and strive to perform their duties accurately. Competent MAs acquire the necessary skills to excel in their profession, showing professionalism and expertise. They recognize that achieving thorough mastery requires a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of their field, which can be achieved through training, education, and hands-on experience. Many employers prefer hiring MAs who have successfully completed an accredited Medical Assisting program.
Accredited Medical Assisting programs can be found at postsecondary vocational schools, junior colleges, and universities. These programs usually last one year or less and result in a certificate or diploma. Alternatively, completing an associate degree requires two years. Effective communication is vital for medical assistants as it is viewed as a crucial element of their profession. They recognize that their knowledge and expertise are valuable only when shared and applied with others. Therefore, it is essential for them to communicate their ideas effectively so that others can understand and benefit from their perspectives.
Having maturity, developed social skills, common sense, good taste, proper sense of timing, and an appreciation for others’ emotional sensibilities are all important qualities for a professional Medical Assistant. It is recognized that displaying good manners is crucial in projecting a professional image while bad manners are considered unprofessional and rude. Moreover, MAs understand the importance of loyalty in maintaining strong relationships. Respect serves as the fundamental basis for teamwork and successful business transactions.
Professionally, individuals understand that self-respect is essential for showing respect to others. The employment of Medical Assistants is predicted to have a much higher growth rate than other professions until 2014 due to the healthcare industry expanding from advancements in medical technology and an increasing elderly population. This rapid growth in the field will lead to more job opportunities for Medical Assistants. In fact, it is projected that between 2004 and 2014, Medical Assisting will be one of the occupations experiencing the highest rate of growth.
