There are pros and cons to any job. If you are considering a medical assistant career, make sure you weigh your options and look at the good and not-so-good. Medical Assistants often love what they do but is this career right for you?
Pros
Job Opportunities
With an aging U.S. population and expanded healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act, the need for healthcare assistants is higher than ever. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical Assistants can expect to see much higher than average demand for their services through 2026.
Short Period of Training
If you want to help others in a healthcare setting, you have many options. But not many allow you to train, get experience, and get to work in less than one year. At Career Quest Learning Centers, our Medical Assistant program provides you with the basics of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, lots of hands-on training and a 180 hour externship so you can get some real world experience. And you can complete the program in as little as eight months!
Assortment of Duties
As a Medical Assistant, you could wear many hats. You might work in a front office where you will be expected to set up appointments, maintain health insurance bills and forms, interact with patients, and deal with medical billing. Or you could work in a more clinical setting where you would have the opportunity to help doctors with procedures and minor surgeries. On the clinical side, you would spend much of your time in direct patient care, recording patient vital signs, taking blood draws. You would also be in charge of making sure tools and equipment are properly disinfected and sterilized.
Cons:
Odd Hours
Some Medical Assistants work in doctors’ offices and have regular day time shifts. But you might find yourself at a healthcare facility that doesn’t offer a standard forty-hour work week. You may need to work evenings or on weekends. Or double shifts. The good news, though, is that you might be able to work more hours in fewer days and have a few days in a row off.
Restricted Job Responsibilities
You want to help people, right? And as a Medical Assistant you certainly will! But there are clear rules about what you can and can’t do. You need to pay close attention and listen to your supervisor and other people on the healthcare team who have more responsibilities than you. There are definite pros and cons to the job of a Medical Assistant, but if you are interested in the medical field and you want to have direct patient contact, it might be right for you. Check out the Medical Assistant program at Career Quest Learning Centers and get started on a new career path today. We have campus locations in Lansing, Jackson, and Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.