Online Medical Assistant Classes

New online training programs for medical assistant are on the rise across the United States, Canada and most western countries. In order to enable medical assisting personnel to enhance their knowledge, skills and professionalism, many schools have online programs specially designed for student comfort and affordability. Students can now study online to become a medical assistant or review for medical assistant jobs or medical assistant certification tests.

Medical assistants are unlicensed healthcare workers who perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. They should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the direct supervision of a physician. The duties vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually are generalists, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.

Online distance education programs include classes in basic Medical Terminology, Human Body Planes, Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Office Professionalism, Patient Communication, Medical Records, Basic Medical Law, Scheduling Appointments, Medical Billing and Insurance Claims, Infection Control, Surgical Instruments, Emergency Care, Clinical Equipment, Patient History and Physicals, EKG and Lab Testing, Specimen Collection and Lab Safety and Introduction to Patient Medications.

These valued allied healthcare professional perform many administrative duties, including answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients' medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping. However, the clinical duties vary according to State law and include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. Many may also help collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic laboratory tests on the premises, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They instruct patients about medications and special diets, prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician, authorize drug refills as directed, telephone prescriptions to a pharmacy, draw blood, prepare patients for x rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings.

Medical assistants held about 387,000 jobs in 2004. About 6 out of 10 worked in offices of physicians; about 14 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. The rest worked mostly in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory health care services, State and local government agencies, employment services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and nursing care facilities.

The United States Department of Labor is expecting the profession "...to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014 as the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population. Increasing utilization of medical assistants in the rapidly growing health care industry will further stimulate job growth. In fact, medical assistants is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 period."

The employment growth will be driven by the increase in the number of group practices, clinics, and other health care facilities that need a high proportion of support personnel, particularly the flexible assistant who can handle both administrative and clinical duties. Most work primarily in outpatient settings, a rapidly growing sector of the health care industry. In view of the preference of many health care employers for trained personnel, job prospects should be best for medical assistants with formal training or experience, particularly for those with certification.

The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual earnings of medical assistants were $24,610 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,650 and $28,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34,650. In view of the preference of many health care employers seeking trained personnel future job prospects are extremely good. This situation calls for formal and professional training for the potential prospects. And a certificate for medical assistance will serve the purpose of finding good future for aspiring allied healthcare professionals.

A few of the many advantages of online classes include: complete flexibility of time to suit every individual, knowledge and skills offered during training by professionals, financially viable program plans with ease of payment and qucik online student support. St. Augustine Medical Assistant School now offers a complete online program at http://www.medassistant.org. In view of the preference of many health care employers seeking trained personnel, job prospects for medical assistants are extremely good. This situation calls for formal and professional training for the potential prospects. And a certificate for medical assistance will serve the purpose of finding good future for aspiring medial assistants.