What Does a Podiatry Medical Assistant Do?
Contents
A podiatry medical assistant is responsible for providing support to a podiatrist. This can include administrative duties, clinical duties, or a combination of both.
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Job Description
Podiatry Medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks to support the day-to-day operations of podiatry practices. Their duties may include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, preparing treatment rooms, taking patient histories and vitals, removing stitches, and assisting with minor office surgeries. Many podiatry medical assistants have completed postsecondary medical assisting programs and have certification from recognized organizations such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
Duties
Podiatry medical assistants are often the first people patients interact with when they come into a podiatry office. It is the podiatry medical assistant’s duty to make sure that all of the patient’s needs are met from the moment they step into the office, until the time they leave.
podiatry medical assistant’s duties include, but are not limited to:
Answering phones
Scheduling appointments
Greeting patients
Checking patients in and out
Updating and maintaining patient medical records
Assisting the doctor with procedures
Taking X-rays
Applying casts and other treatments
Disinfecting equipment
handling laboratory specimens
Education and Training
A podiatry medical assistant is a trained professional who helps podiatrists (foot and ankle doctors) in their daily tasks. These responsibilities may include greeting patients, scheduling appointments, organizing medical records handling insurance paperwork, and assisting with office administrative tasks. A successful candidate for this position must have strong multitasking and organizational skills, as well as excellent customer service skills.
While most states do not require formal education or certification for podiatry medical assistants, most candidates have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Many employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed a postsecondary education program in medical assisting, which typically takes about one year to complete. These programs are offered at community colleges, technical schools, and some four-year colleges and universities. During their education, students take courses in Medical Terminology office procedures, insurance billing and coding, anatomy and physiology, and other relevant topics.
Certification
The American Association of Medical Assistants offers a certification exam for medical assistants who want to specialize in podiatry. To be eligible to take the certification exam, candidates must have graduated from a medical assisting program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and have completed a minimum of 600 hours of clinical training in podiatry.
Salary and Job Outlook
Medical assistants perform many administrative and clinical tasks in podiatry offices. They work closely with podiatrists to provide quality patient care. Podiatry medical assistants typically have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some states require certification for medical assistants, although requirements vary by state.
The median annual salary for medical assistants was $34,800 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Job growth for medical assistants is expected to be above average at 23% from 2018-2028, per the BLS.
Working Conditions
Most podiatrists work in their own private offices. They usually work alone, although some have one or more partners with whom they share patients, businesses expenses, and profits. A small number of podiatrists are employed in group practices or HMOs. These settings may have several physicians and many support staff members.
Job Hazards
There are some job hazards associated with being a podiatry medical assistant. These hazards include exposure to chemical and biological agents, as well as physical risks such as needle sticks. In addition, there is a potential for back injuries from lifting patients.
Career Progression
As a podiatry medical assistant, you’ll provide basic patient care under the supervision of a licensed podiatrist. You may also perform administrative and clerical duties, such as scheduling appointments, maintaining Medical records and billing insurance companies. With experience, you may advance to a position such as office manager or podiatrist assistant.
Key Skills
A podiatry medical assistant is responsible for a variety of tasks in a podiatry office, from greeting patients to scheduling appointments and maintaining medical records They may also assist the podiatrist with patient care, including taking X-rays and applying casts. Podiatry medical assistants must have excellent customer service skills to greet patients and answer their questions, as well as strong organizational skills to keep the office running smoothly.
Useful Resources
There are a few key places where you can go to get reliable information about what a podiatry medical assistant does on a day-to-day basis. The first is the website of the American Podiatric Medical Association, or APMA. This organization represents Doctors of Podiatric Medicine, or DPMs, and their medical staffs. They provide a number of resources for both patients and medical professionals, including information about what medical assistants do in podiatry offices.
Another good resource is the website of the American Association of Medical Assistants, or AAMA. This organization provides information and resources for all types of medical assistants, including those working in podiatry offices. They offer an online course called “The Role of the Medical Assistant in Podiatric Practices” that covers all aspects of what podiatry medical assistants do on a daily basis.
Finally, you can also find helpful information on the website of the National Board for Certification in Medical Assisting, or NBCMA. This organization offers certification for medical assistants who meet their standards. While certification is not required to work as a podiatry medical assistant, it can be helpful in demonstrating your knowledge and skills to potential employers.
