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Article:
A Career In Medical Assisting by: Danni R. My name is Danni R, and I am a certified medical assistant and online educator. I am writing this article to introduce you to an exciting career in the allied health profession that has existed for quite a long time but is just recently gaining the attention and recognition it deserves. I am talking about a career in medical assisting! A Career In Medical Assisting Medical assisting is a field full of opportunity for those who enjoy working side by side with physicians and others in a medical office or clinic regardless of gender. Traditionally, medical assisting has been a profession dominated by women, mostly because of biased counseling and recruiting, and misconceptions about the workforce. However, opportunities abound for men and women with multiple health care skills and state-of-the-art knowledge in various medical sciences. The key to a successful medical practice or clinic is to hire competent medical assistants to handle routine administrative and clinical tasks. The common goal of all medical assistants is the care and treatment of patients whether male or female. More and more men are entering into the medical assisting profession which proves that this career is a field full of opportunity for anybody regardless of gender. Male medical assistants, just like their female counterparts, are highly valued and respected members of the healthcare team who enjoy working side by side with physicians and other healthcare practitioners!respected members of the healthcare team who enjoy working side by side with physicians and other healthcare practitioners! Who Are Medical Assistants? In general the medical assistant is a highly trained, multiskilled professional who plays an important role in the medical office or clinic, either in the front or in the back offce. Medical assistants who work in what is called the front office schedule appointments, greet the patients, handle referrals, call and return phone calls from patients, call the pharmacy, oversee paperwork, handle correspondence, make sure lab test results are mailed to patients, arrange for hospital admission, and take care of billing and bookkeeping. Medical assistants who work side by side with the physicians and nursing staff in the back office call the patients in from the waiting area, take their vital signs, show them to the exam room and treatment areas, ask them about the reason for their visit, and collect information such as a list of medications. Medical Assistants collect specimens as ordered, and make sure that lab work is done, help with examinations and treatments, sterilize instruments and supplies, assist with minor surgery, and administer medications as ordered by the physician, and last but not least they make sure the office's onhand supply of medications is properly maintained and samples are restocked, and last but not least the waiting areas and exam rooms are kept clean and attractive. Occupational Outlook According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the medical assistant field will be one of the fastest growing occupations through the year 2010. Medical assistants held about '329
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