Working As a Medical Assistant: Duties and Salaries
Medical Assistant Duties and Salaries
Medical assistants are specially trained professionals who perform both clinical and administrative tasks. This is a very challenging position, but it can also be very rewarding. If you want to become one, you should learn all about MA duties and responsibilities. It is also important to inform yourself concerning the average salary for medical assistant professionals.
Duties and Responsibilities
These assistants help physicians in patient care management. In addition to this, they perform an array of administrative tasks. They also interact with patients. They're usually employed in physician's offices, clinics and hospitals.
Some of the most important duties include:
Assistance during medical procedures
Vital signs taking
Sterilization of medical instruments
New patients registration
Appointment scheduling
Keeping and organizing medical records
Verifying health insurance coverage
You should know that you don’t have to have any special formal education for this profession. However, it’s always good to take a CMA exam and become certified. This will bring you more career opportunities and it will increase your medical assistant salary.
Average Salary for Medical Assistant Professionals
It is not easy to calculate the typical salary, since it depends on several factors, such as your experience, education and place of works. The good news is that MA profession has been acknowledged as among the fastest growing in the healthcare industry, and it'll affect salaries. US Bureau of Labor reports that the average annual salary for medical assistant professionals in 2011 was $30,170.
The salary will depend on:
Certification and education. Formal training is not compulsory, but it opens more job opportunities and it gives you better wages.
Experience. Experienced professionals earn more.
Location. Top paying states for this profession are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Hawaii and the District of Columbia.
Your place of work. Some employers offer better salaries and rewards.
How to Increase Your MA Salary?
There are certain ways to increase your medical assistant hourly salary. The most effective way is to obtain certification. Those with CMA credentials earn more and have better job opportunities.
You should complete an accredited program that will give you all needed education and skills. This will make the certification exam easier for you. There are several programs you can take online.
You should take courses in anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. Additional courses include first aid, clinical and diagnostic procedures and laboratory techniques. It's also wise to learn basic administrative skills, such as documentation, accounting, transcription and typing. After this, you should take your MA certification exam.
It's important to read all medical assistant related news and information. Helpful tips for salary for medical assistant professionals will help you comprehend the way MA salaries are determined. There are also helpful news and MA salary articles you can read to stay informed.
Medical assistants are specially trained professionals who perform both clinical and administrative tasks. This is a very challenging position, but it can also be very rewarding. If you want to become one, you should learn all about MA duties and responsibilities. It is also important to inform yourself concerning the average salary for medical assistant professionals.
Duties and Responsibilities
These assistants help physicians in patient care management. In addition to this, they perform an array of administrative tasks. They also interact with patients. They're usually employed in physician's offices, clinics and hospitals.
Some of the most important duties include:
Assistance during medical procedures
Vital signs taking
Sterilization of medical instruments
New patients registration
Appointment scheduling
Keeping and organizing medical records
Verifying health insurance coverage
You should know that you don’t have to have any special formal education for this profession. However, it’s always good to take a CMA exam and become certified. This will bring you more career opportunities and it will increase your medical assistant salary.
Average Salary for Medical Assistant Professionals
It is not easy to calculate the typical salary, since it depends on several factors, such as your experience, education and place of works. The good news is that MA profession has been acknowledged as among the fastest growing in the healthcare industry, and it'll affect salaries. US Bureau of Labor reports that the average annual salary for medical assistant professionals in 2011 was $30,170.
The salary will depend on:
Certification and education. Formal training is not compulsory, but it opens more job opportunities and it gives you better wages.
Experience. Experienced professionals earn more.
Location. Top paying states for this profession are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Hawaii and the District of Columbia.
Your place of work. Some employers offer better salaries and rewards.
How to Increase Your MA Salary?
There are certain ways to increase your medical assistant hourly salary. The most effective way is to obtain certification. Those with CMA credentials earn more and have better job opportunities.
You should complete an accredited program that will give you all needed education and skills. This will make the certification exam easier for you. There are several programs you can take online.
You should take courses in anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. Additional courses include first aid, clinical and diagnostic procedures and laboratory techniques. It's also wise to learn basic administrative skills, such as documentation, accounting, transcription and typing. After this, you should take your MA certification exam.
It's important to read all medical assistant related news and information. Helpful tips for salary for medical assistant professionals will help you comprehend the way MA salaries are determined. There are also helpful news and MA salary articles you can read to stay informed.