After completing your medical assistant training program in NYC at ABC Training Center, you have several different potential career paths you could follow. Medical Assistant (MA) tasks consist of a wide array of services, including:
- Office Administration
- Coding and Billing
- Appointment Scheduling
- Records Keeping
- Patient Care
- Laboratory Services Scheduling
- Performing EKGs/ECGs
- Taking Vital Signs
- Simple Lab Tests
- Blood Draws
- Exam Room Preparation
- Assisting Doctors During Examinations
- Patient Exam Preparation
In addition, there could be other specific types of tasks and services an MA provides, depending upon the clinical environment where they work. As such, this allows MAs the flexibility to specialize in various careers to further the initial training.
Some MAs choose to become registered or certified Mas, as having this distinction often helps open up more potential career paths and potentially higher salaries. In addition, some medical practices prefer to hire certified or registered MAs, even though there are no specific state requirements stating an MA must be certified or registered.
The three general career paths most MAs initially choose from are:
- Administrative MA – An administrative MA is responsible for the business side of a medical practice. With the right training, they could even advance to become the medical office manager or hospital administrative manager, where they will oversee all of the day-to-day business operations, such as coding, billing, patient scheduling, staffing, and so on.
- Clinical MA – A clinical MA works alongside other physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals. Their primary function is to provide quality medical care for patients. They may be required to take vitals, record medical histories on patients’ records, and provide patient education and instruction on various treatments and care, as well as other clinical duties.
- Specialized MA – A specialized MA focuses on one primary medical area of practice, such as an EKG/ECG technician, OB/GYN MA, podiatry MA, phlebotomy technician, claims examiner, hospital ward clerk, insurance processor and adjuster, and laboratory technician. There are specific requirements for certain specialization fields, which could require completing ongoing training courses and/or certain tests and certifications.
Which Medical Assistant Career Path Is Right for Me?
Deciding which career path to pursue may not be something you will be ready to determine immediately after completing your MA training program. This is perfectly normal. If you are not entirely sure, the best thing to do is to start to identify which tasks and services you enjoy the most as you begin working.
It is also beneficial to take into account whether you want to work directly with patients on a daily basis or if you want to work more “behind the scenes” and provide administrative support. Once you have identified which areas of your career you like, let your employer know and work with them to help establish your career path.
Many medical practices and offices have certain areas that are often underserved, and you could have a particular passion for one of these areas. For more information about medical assistant training programs or other medical career training options, please feel free to contact ABC Training Center at (718) 618-5589 today!