Some possible jobs within this career area are:
Health care careers require a variety of degrees and/or certifications. In fact, many people in the health care industry return to school for updated training or certification. Commonly offered degree and certification programs include:
- Associate’s Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- PhD
- Career-Specific Certification
With our baby boomer generation aging, the health care field is growing exponentially. From an increased need for pharmacists and technicians to growing demand for medical records specialists, there are jobs related to health care throughout the nation. You can make yourself a more marketable candidate by returning to school and broadening your knowledge base.
Because there are so many different types of degrees available in the health care world, it also means that it can take a varied amount of time to get certified or start your career. Many technicians can get their certificates in one or two years, but a large percentage of workers return to school to get additional training or a degree. Generally, the more education completed, the higher the salary.
How to Become a Medical Assistant
A medical assistant career involves performing clinical and administrative duties such as taking medical histories and vital signs, administering medications, drawing blood, and preparing patients for examinations as well as maintaining records, scheduling appointments, billing, and coding records for insurance companies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) over 60 percent of medical assistants work in physicians’ offices.
Medical Assisting Education
Although medical assistants are not required to undergo formal training, most complete a one or two year program at a vocational school or community college, with a two year program resulting in an associate’s degree. Typical classes for a medical assistant career are medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, transcription, medical billing, laboratory techniques, and pharmaceutical principles; an associate’s degree program will include core classes such as English, mathematics, and science as well as courses on office practices, medical law, first aid, and ethics. Some programs may also offer internships in a health care facility.
Medical Assistant Salaries
Medical assistant careers are one of the fastest growing employment areas; due to advances in technology and an aging population the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 34 percent growth in job openings in the next decade. Beginning wages vary significantly depending on the extent of education; the lowest ten percent of medical assistant salaries in 2008 was under $20,600. The median annual income was $28,300 and the highest ten percent of medical assistant salaries was over $39,570. Many begin a career in medical assisting while pursuing a higher degree in the health care industry. (Salary data retrieved 6/25/11)
To get the education you need to begin an exciting career as a medical assistant, find a training program now!