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You're a “people person” and like the medical profession. You want to be a vital member of a health care team. When you think about your dream job, it combines both medical office management and clinical experience. Check out the Medical Assisting profession...
The Program
Medical Assisting- At the Heart of Health Care... Medical assistants are multi-skilled health professionals. They work in many different roles in physician's offices, clinics and other health care facilities. The required 500 hours of externship will get you ready for clinical and medical management tasks...
- Medical assisting includes clinical responsibilities:
- Measuring vital signs
- Assisting with examinations
- Sterilizing surgical instruments
- Administering medication
- Assisting with minor office surgery
- Performing cardiopulmonary testing
- Laboratory testing in urinalysis, hematology, and microbiology.
Medical assisting also includes medical management responsibilities:
- Patient reception
- Computer applications
- Medical records management
- Insurance and coding
- Patient transactions, billing, and collection
- Medical transcription
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), on recommendation of the Committee of Accreditation for Medical Assistant Education.
Learn by Doing
Get ready for real world experience! By graduation, you'll have lots of experience to document on your resume! Spend two days each week in a medical office or clinic during your second year. You'll rotate through THREE externship experiences!
- Family Practice
- Clinic
- A Specialty Medical Office (like internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, cardiology, etc.)
Jobs for Grads
Out of the Gate - Graduates are eligible to take a national certification examination become certified medical assistants (CMA). The HC pass rate is over 90% (national average is 70%). Medical Assistant grads become
- Administrative and/or Clinical Medical Assistants
- Medical Transcribers
- Phlebotomists
- Electrocardiograph (ECG) Technicians
Job Market Outlook
- Expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupation through 2014.
- Work primarily in outpatient settings, a rapidly growing sector of the health care industry.
- Certification, formal training, and experience should improve job prospects.
What Can I Expect to Earn
Among other factors, salaries may vary by geographic region, cost of living, and employee’s previous experience. The following salary information is based on national averages.
Earnings of Medical Assistants in May 2004:
| $24,610 |
$20,650-$28,930 |
$18,010 |
$34,650 |
Job Outlook & Earnings from Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Medical Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos164.htm
Down the Road - Some medical assistants move on to become
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