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Medical Assistant Program

Medical Assistant Program

Medical Assistant programs prepare you for jobs in demand right now and provide a stepping-stone to many allied healthcare careers.

Medical assistants are critical to the smooth running of doctors’ offices, clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities. They carry out a variety of administrative and clinical tasks under the supervision of a physician or nurse practitioner. Welcome patients, schedule appointments, handle medical records, bookkeeping, insurance billing, and coding are just a few of the administrative responsibilities. Recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examinations, aiding the physician during examinations, collecting blood and other lab specimens, and providing drugs as ordered are all examples of clinical duties.

Available in:

CA

Length of Study

8-12 months

Career Level

Entry Level

Delivery Type

Asynchronous, Synchronous, Hybrid

Duties

  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Record patients’ medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians’ instructions to patients.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
  • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
  • Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
  • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
  • Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
  • Greet and log in patients arriving at the office or clinic.
  • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
  • Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
  • Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
  • Change dressings on wounds.
  • Schedule appointments for patients.
  • Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
  • Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
  • Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
  • Set up medical laboratory equipment.

Career Opportunities

As a medical assistant, you can improve your career in a variety of ways, including moving up into the following positions: Lead medical assistant, Supervising medical assistant, Clinical office manager, Case management assistant, Executive medical office secretary. There are even pathways for MA’s with additional training to Licensed vocational nurse (LVN/LPN) and Registered nurse (RN).

Day in the Life

A medical assistant’s day can be both interesting and challenging. Your workweek will most likely be fast-paced and busy, whether you provide front office administrative support, back-office clinical support, or a combination of both. Medical helping is a rewarding profession. It needs a strong commitment to the profession and the desire to perform at your best every day.

Job Outlook

California has a projected growth of 25% between 2018-2028, median annual salary $39,520

Disclaimer: Futuro Health reserves the right to change or update program requirements and qualifications at any time.