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Bolstering My Children's Education

Once we started homeschooling our kids, I noticed that they started to struggle more with concentration. In addition to making it hard to get through a lesson, they also lost interest in some of their favorite subjects--presumably because we weren't teaching them as well as their favorite teachers. Fortunately, a friend of ours told us about some great homeschooling educational tools that might be able to help. We invested in some new textbooks and a few updated visual aids, and it made a tremendous difference. Read this blog to find out how to bolster your child's education, even if you teach them at home.

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Bolstering My Children's Education

Two Things You Can Do With A Medical Assistant Degree

by Fred Peters

Healthcare is one of the fastest growing fields in the market today. In 2014 alone, the hospital sector added more than 100,000 positions, and the growth is expected to continue as the population continues to age. This makes it the perfect time to get your degree or certification as a medical assistant. This will position you to become a valuable member of many different types of healthcare teams. But what will you do as a part of these teams and what role will you play? Here are a couple of the different options you will have.

Duties And Responsibilities Of A Medical Assistant

In most hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices, you will encounter numerous medical assistants performing a wide variety of jobs. These jobs often depend on the type of medical practice they work in, as well as the type of certification the person possesses. Most medical assistants will perform some types of support roles that will allow the doctors and nurses to better perform their jobs. Some of the support roles being performed include the following:

  • General office and clerical work
  • Direct medical care
  • Testing and treatments
  • Patient education and more

These duties are normally performed by one of four types of medical assistants.

Administrative Medical Assistants

The first person that a patient sees when they arrive for their appointment is performing some of the roles that are often performed by an administrative medical assistant. These assistants are often responsible for manning the front desk, as well as the rest of the clerical support needed to make the practice successful. These valuable assets ensure that the physicians are freed up to provide patient care.

As an administrative medical assistant you will perform a wide variety of tasks. Some of these include:

  • Answering the phones
  • Answering questions
  • Setting appointments
  • Ordering and maintaining office supplies
  • Transcribing medical notes
  • Filing
  • Accounting and billing and more

To do this, as an administrative medical assistant, you will need to have the following abilities:

  • Good oral and written communication skills
  • Basic understanding of medical terminology
  • Computer skills
  • Great organizational skills and more

Additionally, you must also remain current on all policies and mandates put into place and dictated by HIPAAJACHO, or other accrediting agency, to ensure that the facility you work for remain in compliance. 

If you choose to work as an administrative medical assistant, your salary will depend on where you work, as well as the type of medical office you are working in. You can expect a salary that ranges from a low of approximately $20,000 to a high of more than $35,000, with a median hourly salary of $12.76. Although no formal education is required to become an administrative medical assistant, you can increase your pay, as well as become more marketable by getting your certification in the field. 

Clinical Medical Assistant

As a clinical medical assistant you will get to work closely and upfront with the patient. You will provide a wide variety of patient care that will allow your practice or area to run smoothly and efficiently.

Because you are working directly with people who are often sick or distressed, you must be compassionate, as well as patient. You must be able to maintain a calm demeanor even when you are working with those who may be scared, anxious, frustrated, or simply tired. In addition to these skills you also must be able to do the following:

  • Multi-task
  • Track large amounts of data
  • Perform treatments
  • Provide patient education
  • Communicate clearly

To do this, you will need to have:

  • A good understanding a medical terminology
  • Ability to use medical machinery and tools
  • Ability to learn more advanced medical procedures as may be required by the physician they work under, and more

A clinical medical assistant is normally required to have specialized training in the medical field. You can obtain this training by receiving your certification or a two year degree from an accredited program. As a certified clinical medical assistant, you can expect an hourly salary that ranges from $10.27 to $17.42

Medical assisting training can be found through traditional campus based programs at schools like ASA College, as well as through online programs. By taking the time and making an investment in your education, employers will be able to see that you are serious about wanting to become employed in the medical field, as well as remain in the field for years to come.

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