What is a Specialized Medical Assistant?

Specialized Medical Assistants

If you are interested in obtaining a career that requires minimal training and is high in demand, a specialized medical assistant might be the right career for you. As the healthcare field continues to grow, so does the need for specialized medical assistants. This career can yield rewarding results, as well as long term financial stability. Specialized medical assistants can expect high earning potentials, ranging between $23,000 and $31,000 a year.

 What is a Specialized Medical Assistant?

Specialized Medical Assistant JobsIf you are contemplating this career path, you may be interested in finding out what a specialized medical assistant is and what their job duties are. Specialized medical assistants are required to perform in a clinical setting under the supervision of either a physician or an administrative manager. This type of medical assistant will be expected to assist physicians by helping them provide quality care to their patients, as well as keep offices running smoothly.
Specialized medical assistants will also be responsible for administrative duties such as, answering phones, greeting patients, processing insurance claims, making appointments, and bookkeeping. When it comes to clinical duties, specialized medical assistants are expected to perform electrocardiograms, draw blood, record vitals and blood pressure. Additional duties such as, performing x-rays or assisting in foot surgeries will vary based on the specialty area of the specialized medical assistant.

It’s important to understand that specialized medical assistants are much different than administrative and clinical medical assistants. When one becomes a specialized medical assistant, they do more clinical work than administrative work. This hand on approach means that a specialized medical assistant should have exceptional analytical skills for vital sign taking, as well as the ability to read patient information correctly. Specialized medical assistants will also be expected to understand diagnostic information and medical charts, as well as have the competency to handle clinical devices.

The duties of a specialized medical assistant will vary based on the area of expertise, the size of the practice and the number of assistants staffed.

How Do I Become a Specialized Medical Assistant?

If you feel that you can deliver any of the duties that listed above, there are several, simple steps you can take to become a specialized medical assistant. Like many others, you might be wondering, how does one become a specialized medical assistant?

Certified Medical AssistantThe first step in becoming a trained specialized medical assistant is to make sure that you have procured a high school diploma or a GED. Most training programs require that you have one or the other before you begin training for certification. You should also take into account that you must possess basic skills, such as the ability to multi-task, the ability to perform basic computer skills, and the ability to organize. All of these skills are needed to become a successful specialized medical assistant.

Becoming a specialized medical assistant doesn’t mean you have to attend classes for years at a time. A person who is interested in this career path will be expected to attend training courses for two years, and will be given an associate’s degree upon successful completion of the graduation requirement. These courses are taken at community colleges, and or Specialized Medical Assistant online programs.

 Specialized Medical Assistant Job Outlook

Specialized medical assistant employment is expected to grow 29% between now and 2022, making this one of the fastest growing occupations in the medical field. Preventive medical services will be in high demand due to the aging baby-boomer population, which are, usually, implemented by physicians.

With the expansion of their practices, physicians will seek out more assistants to help perform clinical and administrative duties. These specialized medical assistants will allow physicians to see more patients, and in turn help them to run their practice more efficiently.

If you believe that training to become a specialized medical assistant is right for you, finding the right training program will not be difficult. Whether you are interested in specialized medical assistant online education or you want to get a more hands on experience by attending a local community college; you will find the journey extremely easy to start, and highly rewarding in the end.