Medical Assisting: A Growing Field, a Specialized Profession

Did you know that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 29 percent between the years of 2012 and 2020? That rate is much faster than the average for all occupations and reflects population trends that will cause a sustained demand for qualified medical personnel to fill positions in medical institutions across the country.

Ayers Career College, established in 1953 in Shreveport, La., focuses on preparing students for careers that are in demand, such as medical assisting.

It’s not surprising to know that the rate is growing so quickly. The medical industry continues to expand as the aging baby-boom population creates demand for preventive medical services as they continue to get older. Doctors and other medical facilities will need to employ more medical assistants to accommodate the growth in their patient base as the population continues to get older.

In the past, medical assistants primarily performed administrative and clinical duties such as answering telephones, greeting patients, and measuring vital signs. A large percentage of their duties were clerical in nature.

However, modern medical assisting has proven to be a more specialized profession. Today many assistants are required to be familiar with electronic health records software, including analyzing electronic data and maintaining the security of the program to improve the keeping of healthcare information. Many also perform more clinical tasks, including administering patient injections, preparing blood samples for laboratory testing, and more.

Medical assistants in other offices, including ophthalmic and optometric assistants provide assistance and care for patient’s eyes and perform tasks such as inserting and removing contact lenses. Assistants also often perform tasks in other types of offices, including podiatrist offices, emergency rooms, hospitals, and dental offices. Similar occupations include nursing assistants, pharmacy technicians, physical therapist assistants and aides, and medical records and health information technicians.

The BLS states that people who possess analytical, technical, and analytical skills and are detail-oriented most often find successful sustained employment in the medical assisting field. Some of those skills may be inherent, but others require education and job experience in order to develop into a professional skill.

Many students choose a postsecondary institution to help them build the skills they need to obtain employment in this area. The Medical Assisting program at Ayers Career College helps prepare students for a career in a variety of aspects of the healthcare industry, including many of the practical aspects of running a physician’s office or other clinical medical environments. Students will receive instruction in areas such as Medical Terminology, Healthcare Financial Management, Medical Billing, and Electronic Medical Record Software.

Those who complete the Medical Assisting program at Ayers will learn anatomy and physiology and receive instruction in medical terminology, be prepared to utilize software applications for general and medical offices, and manage medical records. In addition, students are trained in practical workplace skills such as problem-solving, keyboarding and document processing, and customer service, offering them a base of skills as well as specialized medical training.

Ayers Career College offers students offer students the skills they need to begin a career in the medical assisting field, helping them build the skillsets they need to find success as employment in their field. Upon graduation, they may be employed in a variety of healthcare settings including hospitals, doctors and dental offices, emergency medical clinics, home healthcare agencies, Medical insurance or pharmaceutical facilities, and other medical businesses.

Ayers students also spend time in a medical office environment as part of their curriculum: they will get to know the medical office work environment, enhancing their skills and gaining experience. Ayers offers coursework in both day and evening courses to fit their students’ scheduling needs when home and work commitments get in the way of their education.

If you are interested in a career in medical assisting and want a school that will offer training that will qualify you for a position beyond medical secretarial work, Ayers’ program may be right for you. Their training programs offer you the chance to receive training in a stable, growing field and will help you earn career training that will help you remain employed for years to come.

For current training programs available, please contact us or speak to an Admissions Rep by calling us at 1-800-317-0131.