Top Three Reasons Why You Should Be a Medical Assistant

Medical assistant on the phone at a desk, with doctor in the background. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Anyone who wants a secure career in a field that’s rapidly growing could find that a medical assistant degree provides a fast track to a promising career. Besides having a short path to employment, working as a medical assistant provides job satisfaction by helping others and can lay the groundwork for advancement in a career in medicine.

The top three reasons for selecting this career path include:

1. Short training period.

All states require that medical assistants pass state examinations that certify the competence of workers, and serving as a medical assistant is no different. In most cases, it takes less than a year to complete the classroom and hands-on training to qualify for the state boards.

If you have other responsibilities, you can easily enroll in an online program to take the coursework as your schedule allows. An online program also saves commuting time and you can do the coursework wherever you have Internet access.

2. Helping others. 

Most of the jobs that people who pursue a medical assistant degree are in physician offices, where they can provide administrative assistance or clinical tasks, like taking and recording vital signs, taking blood, and preparing patients for medical examinations.

Medical assistants also work in hospitals and care centers where they help patients directly, which could include bathing assistance, bringing patients to procedures, and assisting the other medical staff with patient care.

Almost all the medical specialties hire medical assistance, and if you enjoy a certain age group, like children or seniors, you could specialize in that field.

3. Stepping stone for other jobs.

A medical assistant degree can serve as the platform that could allow you to continue your education in the medical field. Working in a medical environment exposes you to the spectrum of care that will help you learn even more about the field. This exposure can help you advance your studies in the medical field, making subsequent coursework easier for you.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the demand for registered nurses will continue to increase through 2018. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, they will need more and more medical care. The demand for medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than average in this decade.  They expect the field to grow by more than 30%.

Regardless of your career goals, seeking a medical assistant degree is one of the best ways to enter the job market with a credential that’s in high demand, promises a rewarding career and rolls out a path to upward mobility.

Bio:

Zack is a recent graduate of Arizona State University and is currently focusing on being a content writer.