Medical assistants play an important role in various medical facilities across the state of North Dakota, such as physicians’ offices, hospitals, and nursing homes. In many cases, the medical assistant is the first contact person for patients coming to, or calling, the medical office. While they can perform many different duties, they must be supervised by a physician, RN, or LPN.
These employees have a very versatile position that allows them to perform a variety of administrative duties, such as greet patients, update patients’ records, and schedule appointments. Medical assistants can also perform a variety of patient care services, such as prepare examination rooms, sterilize medical equipment, and assist physicians with patient examination. If you enjoy helping people of all ages this may be the right career path for you.
The increased number of seniors and the rise in the number of people who now have access to health care services has put a huge demand for various health care workers, including medical assistants. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2013 report showed that about 520 medical assistants were employed in North Dakota. With the increase in the demand for health care workers, this number is expected to rise by as much as 31% by the end of this decade.
This 2013 report also showed that medical assistants in North Dakota make about $31,640 annually, which is about the same as the national average salary of $30,780. While training and certification is not necessarily required according to state law, many health care providers will not hire you without proper training. Many people starting their career as a medical assistant choose to become certified through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
Obtaining your training to be a medical assistant is an important first step. There are a few North Dakota medical assistant schools that offer great programs. It is important that you select one of the medical assistant programs in North Dakota that has been accredited and approved by the AAMA. Without this accreditation, you will not be able to earn your medical assistant certification. If you are concerned about having time to fit your studies into your busy schedule, you should consider attending one of the online medical assistant programs that offer flexible scheduling.
After graduating from an accredited program, you can study and sit for the medical assistant certification program. Successful completion of this program will make you a Certified Medical Assistant. This certification will make you eligible for some of the higher paying medical assistant jobs in your area.
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