What is the Definition of a Medical Assistant?听
According to the Medical Assisting Education Review Board, Medical Assistants are multiskilled health professionals specifically educated to work in ambulatory settings (physician’s office, clinics, outpatient) performing administrative and clinical duties. The practice of medical assisting directly influences the public’s health and well-being, and requires mastery of a complex body of knowledge and specialized skills requiring both a formal education and practical experience that serves as standards for entry into the medical profession.
Will STI’s Program Prepare Me for Other Opportunities in the Healthcare Field?听
It is a great pathway or stepping stone to a variety of different settings or professions including nursing, radiology, or surgical technician. Students receive a baseline education in many and varied aspects of the healthcare system.
Is your program accredited?
Yes, by the听Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs听(CAAHEP) which qualifies graduates to sit for the National Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Exam.
What Are Some of the Skills I’ll Learn & Types of Courses
Administrative: Medical Office Management, Billing and Coding, Pharmacology, Communications for Medical Assistants, maintaining patient records, and financial practices within a medical office. Administrative duties can include reception work (answering phones, greeting patients, filling out medical records and insurance forms), organizing admissions, laboratory assistance, purchasing equipment, dealing with billing and bookkeeping information, and scheduling appointments.
Clinical: Clinical Anatomy, obtain vital signs(temperature, pulse, blood pressure), medication reconciliation, screening tests, assist physician with exams and minor office procedures, Phlebotomy & EKG training and CPR certification, recording patients鈥 medical histories, collecting and preparing specimens for laboratory tests, guiding patients through treatment procedures, & sterilizing supplies.
How Does the Clinical Experience Work?
Students听 will be assigned to their extern site for approximately 220 hours, over an 8-10 week period, mid March through the end of school, 4 days a week. Some sites include: Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, Asthma & Allergy Physicians, Compass Medical, Bridgewater Pediatrics, & South Shore Skin Center.
What Are Some of the Employment Opportunites?
Clinical Assistant, Insurance Billing Clerk, Medical Assistant, Receptionist or Transcriptionist, Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant
What is the Approximate Starting Salary?
$15 – $17 hourly depending on location, approximately $32,000-35,000 annually