Becoming a Perfect Medical Assistant

Better Medical Assistant Student

Think about it: the healthcare industry is booming and an increasing number of medical assisting and similarly trained school graduates enter the job market daily. This endless stream of newly trained professionals is competing for the same jobs that you have set your eye on. You, too, want to land that better job, but with hundreds of like-minded competitors getting what you hope for gets tough. The only way for you to get an edge over the rest is to set yourself apart.

The Easy Receipe...

An easy recipe to instantly turn your talents into a medical assistant diploma and become a perfect medical assistant would be nice, but you realized it: there is no such thing! In fact, it takes hard work, interest, dedication, persistence, and a burning desire from deep within to excel at what you do. But realize, even if you are giving it your all you will hardly ever be perfect. However, you can become successful (there is a difference!). The more you know about your options in the medical assistant career, the better you are prepared! If you establish real world goals you will become the good medical assistant you aim to be. 

Nobody is hardly ever perfect, but there are several important steps one can follow to become a better student. Being prepared means knowing what to expect, which means, having a slight advantage over those who are not prepared! Here is what medical assistant students can expect in a typical medical assistant curriculum.

Better Medical Assistant Student Qualities:

• Follow directions well 
• Read, write and calculate well 
• Recognize problems and find solutions 
• Finish a job quickly without sacrificing quality 
• Be honest and dependable 
• Communicate clearly and get along well with people 
• Dress properly and practice good grooming 
• Have a positive attitude and be cooperative 
• Know rules concerning their scope of practice 
• Recognize safety hazards and take precautions 

Knowledge:

1. Anatomy and Physiology
(a) All the body systems
(b) Common pathology/diseases
(c) Diagnostic/treatment modalities

2. Medical Terminology
(a) Basic structure of medical words
(b) Word building and definitions
(c) Applications of medical terminology

3. Medical Law and Ethics
(a) Legal guidelines/requirements for healthcare providers
(b) Medical ethics and related issues
(c) Risk management

4. Psychology
(a) Basic principles
(b) Developmental stages of the life cycle
(c) Hereditary, cultural and environmental influences on behavior
(d) Mental health and applied psychology

5. Communication
(a) Principles of verbal and nonverbal communication
(b) Recognition and response to verbal and nonverbal communication
(c) Adaptations for individualized needs
(d) Applications of electronic technology
(e) Fundamental writing skills

6. Medical Assisting Administrative Procedures
(a) Basic medical office functions
(b) Bookkeeping and basic accounting
(c) Insurance and coding
(d) Facility management

7. Medical Assisting Clinical Procedures
(a) Asepsis and infection control
(b) Specimen collection and processing
(c) Diagnostic testing
(d) Patient care
(e) Pharmacology
(f) Medical emergencies
(g) Principles of radiology

8. Professional Components
(a) Personal attributes
(b) Job readiness
(c) Workplace dynamics
(d) Allied health professions and credentialing

9. And Remember!
(a) Document all important role changes during your externship
(b) Record significant accomplishments and new skills continually
(c) Participate in career development activities, such as reading journals or newsletters
(d) Sign up for continuing education seminars and in-services 

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