Significance
As a medical assistant, you are required to assist physicians with administrative and clinical tasks. This could be in a variety of settings, including clinics, ambulatory centers, hospitals and doctors offices.
Function
The functions of medical assistants vary depending on where you work and who you're working for. Some of the duties you may have to perform could include setting appointments, administrative tasks, keeping patient records up to date, handling correspondence and completing insurance claims forms. You may also have to provide clinical duties, which can include collecting lab specimen, writing down medical histories of patients and sterilizing medical instruments.
Types
There are different kinds of medical assistants, such as clinical medical assistants, opthalmic medical assistants and administrative medical assistants.
Time Frame
Becoming a medical assistant is easy. You can either attend a community college for a year by enrolling in a certificate program. Or you can achieve an associate's degree by spending two years in college.
Misconceptions
Some people get physician assistants, or PAs, and certified nursing assistants, or CNAs, confused with medical assistants. They do perform tasks that are very similar, but as a medical assistant, you are required to meet different educational standards.
