Education and Training

In order to earn a medical assistant degree, you will need to complete coursework in areas such as anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as typing, transcription, record keeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students also study laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, administration of medications, first aid, office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics.

To become a respiratory technician, you need to have completed either a 1 year diploma or certificate, or a two year associate’s degree from a community college, vocational or technical school. Certification is not a necessity for medical assistants although employers would rather hire those who are certified as it signifies that a medical assistant has met certain standards of being a skilled worker.

Employment Opportunities

A medical assistant is responsible for taking care of the daily administrative and clinical duties of a practitioner’s office. This includes scheduling appointments, welcoming patients, answering phones, revising patient records, filling out insurance forms, organizing hospital admission and laboratory services, as well as taking care of billing and bookkeeping.

A medical assistant can work in a number of locations, including physician offices, regional medical centers, walk-in clinics, and other health centers.

Job Outlook and Salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for individuals with a medical assistant degree are expected to grow faster than the average occupation. This is due to the aging baby boomer population and the demand for health care personnel, particularly medical assistants, to help care for the medical needs of the middle aged and elderly. The Bureau reports that the median yearly earnings for medical assistants is were $26,290 in May 2006.