Is medical assistant a good career choice? If you’ve been wondering back and forth about this career, stop right here. This is why it definitely is!
As one of the largest economic sectors in the country, the healthcare industry employees 1 in 8 Americans. So if you’ve been considering a career in the healthcare industry, you’re in good company. The good news is, there are plenty of jobs to go around with no slowing of the demand for health care professionals.
If you want to work in the healthcare field but you don’t want to go through years of schooling to do so, perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “Is medical assistant a good career choice?” If so, read on to learn some of the benefits of pursuing a career as such:
A Shorter Path to a Career in the Medical Field
Training for a career as a medical assistant is much shorter than the vast majority of careers in the medical field. Though formal education isn’t required for a job as a medical assistant, those that have completed certification will have more opportunity than those who don’t.
The good news is, this certification usually takes no more than a couple years to obtain at most. And the certification program will teach you the ethics, medical procedures, and first aid responses required to feel confident in your job. Most programs will also include an internship to help you ease into your new career with the confidence to do well.
There Are Many Job Openings in the Field
Is medical assistant a good career choice? Just ask the thousands of medical assistants who have found a stable job as such, even in a rough economy. As the population continues to rise, so does the need for healthcare and medical attention, so medical assistants will continue to be in high demand.
In fact, the healthcare industry is expected to create over 4 million jobs by 2026. This is due in part to a continued rise in the population in general as well as a rise specifically in the elderly population as the baby boomer generation moves more into advanced age.
Is Medical Assistant a Good Career Choice? For That Who Desire a Flexible Schedule It Can Be
Most medical assistants work on a full-time basis. However, because hospitals and emergency clinics serve the urgent needs of patients, they’re frequently open during the evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. This round-the-clock availability lends itself to flexibility in schedule for medical assistants.
As a medical assistant, you can set up a work schedule that works best with your personal life. You also have the option of working part-time depending on where you work, which makes this a great career option for those who still need to make a decent living but who can’t work a full-time job for whatever reason.
Opportunity for Advancement
Once you’re certified to become a medical assistant, you’ll have lots of opportunities to advance your career if you choose by pursuing additional training. If you decide you really enjoy working closely with the patients and the personal relationships you form with them, you might decide to pursue a nursing degree next.
Other medical assistants decide to advance toward a position as an office manager at a medical facility which brings both additional responsibilities and higher pay.
Personal Fulfillment
When you work in the health care industry tending to patients, you get the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts benefit the lives of others on a personal level. You might develop friendships with patients as you interact with them and learn about their lives. Patients will express appreciation to you for helping them with their health.
Plus, as a medical assistant, no two days are the same. You might go from greeting patients at the front desk one day to removing a patient’s sutures the next day. And there are always new medical procedures to learn.
Possible Downsides
As you ask yourself, “Is medical assistant a good career choice for me?”, it’s important that you’re well informed about not only the positive aspects of the position but some of the possible downsides as well.
As a medical assistant, your work can be tiring, especially if you work in a healthcare facility where the demands never end such as in a hospital or nursing home. And sometimes your duties can become stressful as you have to perform not only clinical duties but administrative duties sometimes as well.
And though most clinics aren’t open around the clock, sometimes medical assistants are asked to work overtime to attend to the patients who are more demanding.
However, many medical assistants appreciate working in a position where they are needed and kept busy and because the work is fulfilling, they don’t mind the occasional high demands of the job.
It’s also worth noting that if you are not certified, you will be paid less than those who are certified.
To help you better decide if the job of a medical assistant is the right one for you, check out these programs and what the training is like for medical assistants.
Learn More About the Healthcare Industry
To learn more about the healthcare industry in general and to stay up on the trends in the medical field, be sure to check out our other informative articles.
The business of healthcare is ever growing and we want to help our readers stay informed. You’ll find lots of helpful information on best medical practices to help you grow your career in the medical field so you can better decide “is medical assistant a good career choice” for yourself.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
