UW Madison’s Medical Assistant Program
Contents
- Introduction to the program
- What you will learn in the program
- The benefits of becoming a medical assistant
- The job outlook for medical assistants
- The salary of a medical assistant
- The duties of a medical assistant
- The skills you need to be a successful medical assistant
- The best way to prepare for a career as a medical assistant
- The challenges you may face as a medical assistant
- Advice for those considering a career as a medical assistant
UW Madison’s Medical Assistant Program is a great way to get started in the medical field. The program is very comprehensive and provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful medical assistants.
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Introduction to the program
The University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Medical Assistant program is a 12-month, full-time certificate program that prepares students for a career in the medical field. The program curriculum includes both classroom and clinical instruction, and students will have the opportunity to extern in a medical setting during the final semester of the program.
What you will learn in the program
In the University of Wisconsin’s medical assistant program, you will learn how to perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and managing medical records You will also receive training in clinical procedures, such as taking medical histories and measuring patients’ vital signs. The program includes both classroom instruction and hands-on experience in a medical office setting.
The benefits of becoming a medical assistant
Medical assistants are in high demand across the United States According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.1
As a medical assistant, you will enjoy many benefits, including:
• A stable career with good pay and job security. The median annual wage for medical assistants was $34,800 in May 2019, and the lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,910, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $49,200.1
• The opportunity to help others. As a medical assistant, you will be on the front line of healthcare, providing direct care to patients and helping them navigate the often-complex healthcare system.
• A chance to work in a variety of settings. Medical assistants can find employment in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare settings.
If you are considering a career in healthcare, becoming a medical assistant is a great choice. With its many benefits, it’s no wonder that medical assisting is one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States.
The job outlook for medical assistants
Medical assistants are in high demand as the healthcare industry expands. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for medical assistants will grow 19% between 2016 and 2026, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
There are many reasons for this high demand, but one of the main reasons is that medical assistants can do a variety of tasks. They can take on administrative duties like scheduling appointments, handling finances, and filling out insurance forms. They can also take on clinical duties like taking patients’ vital signs, administering injections, and processing lab results.
With their skillset, medical assistants can help make a doctor’s office run smoothly while also providing excellent patient care. If you’re thinking about becoming a medical assistant, now is a great time to do it!
The salary of a medical assistant
Medical assistants are part of an allied health profession that work closely with physicians and other members of the health care team to provide patient care. While the duties of a medical assistant can vary depending on state law, the scope of practice for medical assistants generally includes taking medical histories and recording vital signs, preparing patients for examination, assisting during examinations, performing routine laboratory tests, giving injections and providing patient education.
In May 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that medical assistants earned a median salary of $32,480 per year, or $15.69 per hour. The top 10 percent of earners made more than $46,070 per year, while the bottom 10 percent made less than $23,660 per year. Salaries can vary depending on factors such as geographic location, type of employer and years of experience.
The duties of a medical assistant
Medical assistants perform a variety of duties in healthcare settings. They may take patient medical histories and vital signs, prepare patients for examination, assist the physician during the exam, and give patients instructions for post-visit care. Medical assistants also schedule appointments, receive and return phone calls from patients, process insurance forms, handle billing and coding, perform basic laboratory tests, give injections, and take x-rays.
The skills you need to be a successful medical assistant
In order to be a successful medical assistant, you will need to have a variety of skills. These include both hard skills, such as being able to accurately take vital signs, and soft skills, such as being able to effectively communicate with patients.
Some of the specific skills you will need to be a successful medical assistant include:
-Anatomy and physiology: You will need to have a basic understanding of human anatomy and physiology in order to effectively assist medical professionals in providing care.
–Medical Terminology You will need to be able to understand and use medical terminology in order to effectively communicate with other medical professionals.
-Clinical skills: You will need to be able to perform basic clinical tasks, such as taking vital signs and performing phlebotomy.
-Administrative skills: You will need to be able to effectively manage medical office procedures, such as scheduling appointments and maintaining Medical records
The best way to prepare for a career as a medical assistant
You’ve probably heard that UW Madison offers a great medical assistant program, but what does that mean for you? If you’re thinking about a career in healthcare, becoming a medical assistant is a great way to start. Here’s what you need to know.
Medical assistants are trained to perform both administrative and clinical tasks in medical offices and clinics. They are an integral part of the healthcare team, often serving as the first point of contact for patients. In addition to greeting patients and answering phones, medical assistants may also schedule appointments, maintain medical records handle billing and insurance paperwork, and prepare patients for examinations.
clinical tasks medical assistants may be responsible for taking patient histories, performing basic laboratory tests, assisting with minor surgical procedures, and providing instruction on medication and post-treatment care. Medical assistants must be able to work well under pressure, as they often have to juggle multiple tasks at once.
UW Madison’s medical assistant program is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in this growing field. The program includes coursework in anatomy and physiology, medical office procedures, computer applications in healthcare, billing and coding, and more. Students also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through externships at local healthcare facilities.
graduates of UW Madison’s medical assistant program go on to work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and research laboratories. Many also choose to pursue further education in order to advance their careers. If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career in healthcare, becoming a medical assistant is a great place to start.
The challenges you may face as a medical assistant
Becoming a medical assistant requires completing an accredited educational program and successfully passing a credentialing exam. Althought most programs can be completed in less than two years, you may face some challenges along the way.
Advice for those considering a career as a medical assistant
Are you planning on a career in medical assisting? If so, here are some things you should know.
Medical assistants are in high demand. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of medical assistants will grow 23 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.1 That’s good news if you’re considering a career as a medical assistant.
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
* Most medical assistants have postsecondary education such as a certificate or an associate’s degree from a medical assisting program.1
* Employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed a formal education program and who have certification from one of the several certifying organizations for medical assistants, such as the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).2
* The AAMA offers the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential, which requires completing an accredited medical assisting program and passing an exam. To maintain the CMA credential, holders must complete 60 continuing education credits every 60 months.3
* Although certification is not required for all positions, it may give job applicants an advantage when competing for positions.2 In addition, some states have laws governing the tasks that medical assistants may perform and may require certification for certain tasks such as administering injections or taking X-rays.4
1 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-6
2 https://www.aama-ntl.org/cma-aama-cmabuyonline
3 https://www.aama-ntl.org/cma-aama-cmainfo#sthash