If you’ve been thinking about a career in healthcare, becoming a medical assistant (MA) is a great choice. Medical assistants work in medical offices, hospitals, and clinics, helping physicians with patient care. Jobs for medical assistants are projected to grow by about 12% between 2024 and 2034 [1] according to data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical assistants are in demand in Sacramento, and there are several ways they help deliver superior healthcare services alongside other medical professionals.
What is a Medical Assistant?
Medical assistants work under the supervision of a physician, helping with administrative and clinical tasks to help provide the best healthcare service possible. A medical assistant typically works in a physician’s office, outpatient clinic, hospital, ambulatory service, or other healthcare facility. In most states, medical assistants are not required to be certified to work, but it is highly recommended because employers look for qualified candidates. Healthcare facilities rely heavily on medical assistants to help patient appointments run smoothly and efficiently.
Medical Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Medical assistants have numerous responsibilities including both clinical and administrative duties.
Clinical Duties
- Taking vital signs
- Preparing examination rooms
- Sterilize medical equipment
- Collecting patient samples for diagnostic testing
- Administering EKGs (in cardiology and primary care)
- Giving vaccines (in most states)
- Helping physician with basic exams
- Give patients pre-measured medication doses (must be reviewed by physician)
- Relaying information from physician to patient
Administrative Duties
- Checking in patients and answering phones
- Scheduling follow-up appointments
- Updating and managing medical records
- Inputting patient insurance information
- Correspondence with patients on behalf of physician
- Call pharmacy to confirm what pre-filled prescriptions patient has currently
How Medical Assistants Help Sacramento Medical Offices
These are the biggest ways medical assistants help healthcare facilities run smoothly.
1. Medical Offices are Run by Medical Assistants
One of the biggest things that medical assistants do is run the medical office and make sure all patient appointments are running on time, efficiently, and paying attention to detail. This is a bit of an open secret in medical offices, but medical assistants are the crucial component that make sure the patients are comfortable and prepped for the physician, and the people who set the doctor up for success. Medical assistants are tasked with doing a lot, so organizational skills, multitasking, attention to detail, and time management are crucial skills to have. You must maintain a calm demeanor too, because you are the person that connects the patient and the physician, and some days can be more stressful than others.
Most medical assistants work in a team, depending on the size of the office. If you’re working for a single physician or a physician group, you’ll still be responsible for doing the back office tasks, and taking care of front-end administration. Everyone plays their role, and keeping appointments on schedule is your main responsibility. That said, you also can’t rush through or cut corners. Every medical office has it’s own specific way the physician(s) want it to be run, so you must follow procedures.
2. Know Your Scope of Work and Act Accordingly
Some days might be short-staffed, and you may feel pressure to do things that are out of the scope of things you are allowed to do. Each state has it’s own guidelines, California is no different. MAs in Sacramento are responsible for a lot, and managing your regular duties is key to keeping things running smoothly week after week. (For example: you cannot give medical advice, you cannot call in a prescription refill without physician authorization, etc.)
3. Physicians Rely On You To Manage Your Duties
Medical assistants check in patients, take their vital signs, get the exam room prepped, and set the patient up for the physician. In some cases, you may assist the physician in simple exams or procedures. You may collect blood or urine samples from patients for diagnostic testing. After the physician visit, you check the patient out, update their medical records, and schedule a follow up appointment, then the process starts again. You’ll notice a lot of the patient interactions, minus the physician exam and scope that ONLY a physician can do, is the responsibility of the medical assistant. The physician(s) rely on the medical assistant staff to handle their duties like professionals, and the entire medical office relies on this too. If you’re well organized, you can handle this. It’s not a job you can sleepwalk through, but it is extremely gratifying to know that you do your job well, and good employers will compensate you accordingly.
4. Communication Skills are Important
Medical assistants act as the connection between physicians and patients in a medical office. They listen to patients' needs and concerns, expressing empathy and alleviating their fears. The MAs also communicate patient information to physicians and medical teams. It’s not an understatement to say your communication skills will be one of the most important factors in your career.
5. Improving Patient Flow Without Sacrificing Quality
Medical assistants in Sacramento help ensure patients receive top-level healthcare by improving the efficiency of patient intake. In MA teams, the medical assistants work collaboratively to prep and room patients so physicians can see them on time for appointments, allowing them to get the maximum amount of quality care in their appointment.
In short, medical assistants help medical assistants take care of a wide spectrum of supportive tasks that allow physicians and medical teams take care of their patients with a high degree of quality and care.
Are you Ready to Become a Certified Medical Assistant?
If you’re ready to begin your healthcare career as a medical assistant, Campus Sacramento has a training program made just for you. Our comprehensive Medical Assisting program will help you learn the clinical and administrative skills you need to get your first medical assisting jobs. You’ll get the knowledge you need to pass the certification exam to become a medical assistant. For more information on class schedules, start dates, and financial aid, contact our Admissions team or call 888-675-2460.
[1] Note: The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with Campus, formerly known as MTI College, are for informational purposes only and represent the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to Campus graduates and, by providing the above information, Campus makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability.