Medical Assistant Degree
what is medical assistant?
For those of you excited about the medical field, but unsure if you want to spend the years needed in school to become a nurse or a doctor, there are many opportunities to work alongside a nurse or doctor without having that type of degree. These jobs include many different medical assisting positions. A medical assistant may still need to go to school before landing a job, but will often not need a full 4-year undergraduate education. Often, students can earn a medical assisting degree or certification in two years or less. While in school, a student will typically take some biology classes, health classes, and other more specific classes that depend on where in the medical field he or she will most likely end up. Being a medical assistant is a really good way to observe what goes on within a hospital or clinic, and how doctors and nurses do their jobs. After assisting for a while, many people go back to school to earn a nursing or other medical degree.
Career opportunities for medical assistants
Medical assistant program graduates are in high demand. They work directly with doctors in medical facilities, including urgent care clinics, throughout the United States. Many medical assistants work in specialties such as pediatrics, family medicine, orthopedics or obstetrics. Career opportunities include the following:
* Certified Medical Assistant
* Laboratory Assistant
* Phlebotomist
* Clinical Radiology Technician
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Clinic Supervisors
Featured courses in medical assisting
Radiology: Students may take the state/national certification test following this course. They receive hands-on instruction using quality X-ray equipment. Class members work with each other on positioning, safety and technical processing of radiology in a clinic-like setting.
Pharmacology: This course introduces you to the use of medication in the clinical field. You’ll learn the vital information needed to understand prescription medicine, interpret doctors’ orders and administer medication.
Hematology/Microbiology: This course presents many of the skills you will need in your work as a medical assistant. Students work with each other learning how to perform throat cultures, blood counts and run tests on professional diagnostic equipment.
Intro to Patient Care Sciences: You will learn to take patients’ vitals: temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. Participants practice the skills through hands-on exercises with fellow classmates, simulating actual clinic visits. You will also chart the results using correct and professional medical terminology.
Find out more about our medical assistant degree program.