Is Medical Assisting the Right Career for You?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting is a rapidly growing field, expected to gain 16 percent more jobs by 2031. That makes it a faster-growing field than many, and it’s not hard to see why – the Baby Boomers are getting older and needing more medical care. Of course, younger people will need medical care in the coming years, too; physicians’ offices, outpatient clinics, and urgent care facilities are proliferating. That means there are going to be many opportunities in the medical field in the coming years, and medical assisting is just one of the jobs you could prepare for. 

But is it the right job for you? Medical assisting can be very fulfilling, but it’s also an active job that could require working long hours and holidays. You can train for a career in medical assisting in less than a year, and maybe even use the experience and connections as a stepping stone to a more advanced career in health care. You’ll make a living wage, and you’ll always have access to job opportunities, especially if you become certified 

Helping People Can Be Fulfilling

Do you want a job where you can make a difference? As a medical assistant, you’ll work with all kinds of people, and you’ll play a part in helping them feel better when they’re ill and manage their chronic health conditions. It’s an active job, good for someone who likes meeting people. You’ll be on your feet a lot, doing tasks all day to help run your facility. You’ll get the chance to use your interpersonal skills in interactions with patients throughout the day. Many medical assistants find the job fulfilling, and it’s anything but boring.

You’ll Have Plenty of Work Opportunities

Medical assisting is a rapidly growing field, so you’re unlikely to find yourself out of a job if you pursue this kind of work. You can work in a number of health care settings, including hospital clinics, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, rehabilitation facilities, and public health departments. You can work a traditional nine-to-five schedule or you could work a less conventional schedule that suits you. You can work nights, weekends, or early mornings if you prefer. The hours are stable, and there’s often opportunities for overtime and holiday pay.

If you want to travel, you could take travel positions and work in health care in different places around the country or even around the globe. People need health care everywhere and the health care shortage is affecting the whole world. There are plenty of opportunities for advancement, too. You’ll gain skills on the job that will help you advance to management positions, and many people use medical assisting as a stepping stone on the path to a more advanced career in medicine, such as a doctor or a nurse.

You Can Train for a Career in Medical Assisting Quickly

You don’t need a certificate to be a medical assistant in many states, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one. Most hospitals, clinics, and health care practices are going to prefer a candidate that has a certificate over one that does not, so you’ll have many more opportunities if you train in the field. And, in some states, you can be a medical assistant without a certificate, but you won’t be allowed to perform certain duties, like dispense medication.

You can get a certificate in medical assisting in less than a year from programs like the one at the Allen School of Health Sciences in Phoenix, Arizona. You may even be able to get your medical assistant certificate online. 

You’ll Make a Living Wage

If you’re stuck in a dead-end job making minimum wage, then medical assisting would be a step up. There’s room for advancement at most workplaces, and the average salary is $37,190. As you work in the field, you will gain experience and training and will be able to command a higher salary, especially if you continue your education to earn an associate’s degree in medical assisting. You may be able to work your way up to a salary of more than $50,000 if you work in the field for twenty years. 

If you’re thinking of making a career change, you should consider medical assisting. You can train for this career in less than a year, which means you’ll be in your first job, earning paychecks, that much faster. You’ll find plenty of opportunities in a field that lets you do meaningful work in your community.