Encouraging Male Medical Assistants 

What Should We Say to Men Interested in the Medical Assisting Career?

It is probably easier to tell you what not to say to men that are interested in a medical assisting career: Don't say, it's so nice to have a man around, or you're not like all those other men. By saying these things you are somehow separating these men from the rest. Male medical assistants aren't any different from others. If medical assisting is to fulfill its potential of providing quality care in a modern healthcare system, then sincere efforts should be made to attract, recruit and train more men into available medical assisting positions.  

Ramon Smith, a male medical assistant wrote us this:

Re: Re: Sad but true! Where are the men?
Sep 27th, 2004 - 6:39 PM

Well, that is exactly what is happening to male Medical Assistants. We sometimes outshine our female counterparts and still get passed over. That's exactly what has been happening to me. But I have now learned to become creative. I will list a few things that may help all male MAs:

1. Become certified (Working But Not Yet Certified?)
2. Try looking outside of the box and work as a Paramedical Examiner for companies like Port-a- Medic where you get paid for doing basic exams venipunctures, recording vitals, EKGs, urine collection, and specimen collection for life insurance purposes. Pay between $18-$25 per exam!
3. Open your own clinic, become your own boss, and hire Dr's, LPN's RN's and MA's. Yes, MA's can own a clinic and run it!
4. Be inventive and open your own Wellness and Compliance company. Go from home to home or community to community helping and educating people about hypertension, healthy eating etc., to help people to help themselves. You do not diagnose! Run a blood pressure station, cholesterol checks and blood sugar test for a small fee and advise those with problems to seek professional help. Do not misrepresent yourself or diagnose; that's not your job, but you can help monitor.
5. You can even work in conjunction with a Medical Office or Doctor to facilitate these things.
6. Teach Medical Assisting

I am in the process of opening my own clinic and found that these things were helping me in the interim. Remember, if you can't move the mountain, go to it.

• Correcting Stereotypical Misconceptions
  Misconceptions and social taboos keep men out of the medical assistant profession. Accurate information about career training opportunities...

• Encouraging Male Medical Assistants
  
  It's probably easier to tell you what not to say to men that are interested in a medical assisting career. Don't say, it's so nice to have a man around...