| My name is Danni R, and I am a certified | | | | assisting while generally preferred is not |
| medical assistant and online educator. I am | | | | always required. Some medical assistants are |
| writing this article to introduce you to an | | | | trained on the job, although this is becoming |
| exciting career in the allied health | | | | more and more less common than in the past. |
| profession that has existed for quite a long | | | | Applicants usually need a high school diploma |
| time but is just recently gaining the | | | | or the equivalent.Recommended high school |
| attention and recognition it deserves. I am | | | | courses include mathematics, health, biology, |
| talking about a career in medical assisting!A | | | | typing, bookkeeping, computers, and office |
| Career In Medical AssistingMedical assisting | | | | skills. Because medial assisting students |
| is a field full of opportunity for those who | | | | must acquire both administrative skills, and |
| enjoy working side by side with physicians | | | | competencies, and clinical skills and |
| and others in a medical office or clinic | | | | competencies prior volunteer experience in |
| regardless of gender.Traditionally, medical | | | | the healthcare field, or working as a nurse |
| assisting has been a profession dominated by | | | | assistant or home health aide can be very |
| women, mostly because of biased counseling | | | | helpful.As a matter of fact medical assisting |
| and recruiting, and misconceptions about the | | | | has become a transitional career for many |
| workforce.However, opportunities abound for | | | | nurse assistants and home health aides. |
| men and women with multiple health care | | | | Although there is no licensing for medical |
| skills and state-of-the-art knowledge in | | | | assistants, some States require them to take |
| various medical sciences. The key to a | | | | a test or a course before they can perform |
| successful medical practice or clinic is to | | | | certain tasks, such as taking |
| hire competent medical assistants to handle | | | | x-rays.Employers prefer to hire experienced |
| routine administrative and clinical tasks.The | | | | workers or certified applicants who have |
| common goal of all medical assistants is the | | | | passed a national examination, indicating |
| care and treatment of patients whether male | | | | that the medical assistant meets certain |
| or female.More and more men are entering into | | | | standards of competence.An Important |
| the medical assisting profession which proves | | | | Question!Recently I was asked whether a |
| that this career is a field full of | | | | medical assistant has to know the strenght of |
| opportunity for anybody regardless of gender. | | | | drugs and how medications are prescribed. |
| Male medical assistants, just like their | | | | This is an important quiestion!I explained, |
| female counterparts, are highly valued and | | | | that safe and effective drug therapy requires |
| respected members of the healthcare team who | | | | more of you than simply handing out or |
| enjoy working side by side with physicians | | | | administering a drug or a prescription to a |
| and other healthcare practitioners!respected | | | | patient.Therefore, an important part of the |
| members of the healthcare team who enjoy | | | | vactional training of a medical assistant is |
| working side by side with physicians and | | | | pharmacology. Not only is it an important |
| other healthcare practitioners!Who Are | | | | part of the medical assisting education, it |
| Medical Assistants?In general the medical | | | | is essential!A medical assistant is expected |
| assistant is a highly trained, multiskilled | | | | to have a basic knowledge of medications, |
| professional who plays an important role in | | | | which means they must be familiar with common |
| the medical office or clinic, either in the | | | | types of medications, i.e. prescription drugs |
| front or in the back offce.Medical assistants | | | | (regulated drugs,) and Over the Counter (OTC) |
| who work in what is called the front office | | | | medications, their brand and generic names, |
| schedule appointments, greet the patients, | | | | their usual indications, and their |
| handle referrals, call and return phone calls | | | | recommended dosages, and dosage forms.Also, |
| from patients, call the pharmacy, oversee | | | | the medical assistant is expected to know the |
| paperwork, handle correspondence, make sure | | | | purpose and effect of drugs, conditions under |
| lab test results are mailed to patients, | | | | which drugs may or may not be used (i.e. |
| arrange for hospital admission, and take care | | | | pregnancy, drug interactions, toxicity,) and |
| of billing and bookkeeping.Medical assistants | | | | be able to summarize possible reactions to a |
| who work side by side with the physicians and | | | | drug. In addition, the medical assistant must |
| nursing staff in the back office call the | | | | be able to read and understand all medical |
| patients in from the waiting area, take their | | | | terms and abbreviations that appear on a |
| vital signs, show them to the exam room and | | | | prescription label and on a (written) |
| treatment areas, ask them about the reason | | | | prescription.Medical assistants need to be |
| for their visit, and collect information such | | | | attentive to ensure that the physician is |
| as a list of medications.Medical Assistants | | | | aware of all medications, again, both |
| collect specimens as ordered, and make sure | | | | prescription and OTC, that the patient is |
| that lab work is done, help with examinations | | | | taking.Furthermore, the medical assistant |
| and treatments, sterilize instruments and | | | | must be familiar with and follow federal, |
| supplies, assist with minor surgery, and | | | | state, and legal guidelines, maintain |
| administer medications as ordered by the | | | | awareness of federal and state health care |
| physician, and last but not least they make | | | | legislation and regulations, and maintain and |
| sure the office's onhand supply of | | | | dispose of regulated substances in compliance |
| medications is properly maintained and | | | | with government guidelines and be aware of |
| samples are restocked, and last but not least | | | | office policies and procedures. Because |
| the waiting areas and exam rooms are kept | | | | controlled drugs ae subject to many laws, a |
| clean and attractive.Occupational | | | | medical assistant is legally responsible for |
| OutlookAccording to the Bureau of Labor | | | | adhering to all related regulations.The most |
| Statistics the medical assistant field will | | | | efficient way to prepare for these |
| be one of the fastest growing occupations | | | | responsibilities is to read the package |
| through the year 2010. Medical assistants | | | | inserts and drug labels that accompany all |
| held about 329,000 jobs in 2000. Sixty | | | | medications, whether they are drugs from drug |
| percent worked in physicians' offices; 15 | | | | company representatives (drug-reps), or drugs |
| percent worked in hospitals, including in- | | | | ordered by the practice.Another excellent |
| and outpatient facilities.The rest were | | | | source of information is the Physician's Desk |
| employed in nursing homes, offices of other | | | | Reference, or PDR, which most medical offices |
| health practitioners and other healthcare | | | | receive free of charge every year. |
| facilities.TrainingFormal training in medical | | | | |