Medical assisting jobs are in high demand. It takes a small army of professionals with different skill sets to provide medical care in our world today. Physicians and nurses who are deep in the trenches require competent support staff to help them treat those who are sick or injured and cover all of the many aspects of modern patient care.
Men and women who are drawn to the medical industry and a career where they can help others have many different job opportunities available to them. Traditionally, many people who were well suited for the industry but uneasy about blood, needles and intense trauma have turned to other career fields. If you’re one of those people, there is great news for you! There are a large number of medical assisting careers that allow you to earn a great living while helping others, with a focus on technology and patient care, without the blood.
Learn about the top five careers for Medical Assistants, and how obtaining your certification or AS degree in Medical Assisting from Florida Technical College can open up a lifetime of job opportunities for you.
What is a Medical Assistant?
By definition, medical assistants complete administrative duties and clinical tasks supporting doctors, nurses, their patients and the medical environment. Their duties vary based on the location of their job and the specialty of that practice. Medical assistants work in physician offices, chiropractic offices, hospitals, outpatient centers, and other healthcare facilities. Like physicians, medical assistants can specialize in many areas including sports medicine, weight loss, rehabilitation and more. In 2019, there were 725,200 people working as medical assistants in the U.S. with an average pay of $34,800* per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There are many different fields for medical assistants today that don’t require you to work in traumatic environments. Helping patients and healthcare professionals extends way beyond drawing blood and cleaning bedpans. There are many important jobs for medical assistants in the growing healthcare industry.
Five Great Career Paths for Medical Assistants
Career #1 – Pharmacy Technician
Medical assistants can apply their job training and skills to a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, helping the pharmacist provide medications and other health care products to patients, consumers and other health care professionals. Pharmacy technicians perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medications. This may include counting tablets, labeling bottles and dispensing prescriptions in preparation for sale at grocery stores, drug stores, and hospitals.
Medical assistants that work in the field of pharmaceuticals generally work in a non-critical environment away from blood, pain, and trauma, yet are helping patients who are in need of medicine. Retail sales are a big part of this job and a great fit for medical assistants who have strong interpersonal skills. You can become a pharmacy technician by completing a medical assistant program and obtaining your certification.
The medical field of pharmaceuticals is a $300 billion annual industry in the U.S. and expected to continue to grow rapidly over the next three years. Increased demand in prescription medications will lead to an increase in demand for pharmaceutical services. Professionals who specialize in pharmaceuticals are in high demand.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians earned an average annual salary of $33,950* per year in 2019.
Career #2 – Medical Transcriptionists
Medical assistants can apply their job training and skills to a career as a medical transcriptionist. Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare workers make during the course of their daily work and translate those audios into written reports. Medical transcriptionists use word-processing software and speech recognition technology to conduct their work from physician offices and other healthcare facilities. These medical assistants must be able to interpret terminology and abbreviations with a basic understanding of anatomy and physiology in order to prepare written accounts of patient medical histories, discharge summaries, and other important medical records.
Medical assistants that work as medical transcriptionists generally work in a non-critical environment away from blood, pain, and trauma, yet are helping physicians accurately document patient treatments and records. Advanced technology is a big part of this job and a great fit for medical assistants who are technically adept. You can become a medical transcriptionist by completing a medical assistant program and obtaining your certification.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical transcriptionists earned an average annual salary of $33,380 per year in 2019.
Career #3 – Health Information Technicians
Medical assistants can apply their job training and skills to a career as a health information technician. Health information technicians work in a wide range of medical facilities from physician offices to hospitals and clinics of all kinds. These medical assistants organize and manage health information data. They ensure that the information collected from patients, physicians and insurance companies is properly documented and secure in both paper files and electronic systems. Health information technicians ensure health information is accurate and accessible and use various classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes from databases and registries. They also maintain patient medical and treatment histories.
Health information technicians generally work in a non-critical environment out of the direct line of blood, pain, and trauma, yet are helping patients receive the care they need by maintaining accurate and complete files that are accessible to physicians and other professionals who treat those patients. Documentation is a big part of this job and a great fit for medical assistants who are technically inclined and enjoy data entry. You can become a health information technician by completing a medical assistant program and obtaining your certification.
The demand for health information technicians is projected to grow 15 percent from 2014 to 2024 as the demand for health services increases.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health information technicians earned an average annual salary of $42,630* per year in 2019.
Career #4 – Home Health Aides
Medical assistants can apply their job training and skills to a career as a home health aide. Unlike most other medical assistants, home health aides work in their patients’ homes helping people with disabilities, chronic illness or disabilities with activities of daily living. Home health aides often work with the elderly who need assistance. Some home health aides administer medication and check patient vitals under the supervision of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner. These medical assistants often work for home health care and hospice agencies.
Home health aides generally work in a non-critical environment out of the direct line of blood, pain, and trauma, yet are helping patients in need of assistance with day-to-day activities. Fieldwork is a big part of this job and a great fit for medical assistants who have good interpersonal skills and prefer to work independently. You can become a home health aide by completing a medical assistant program and obtaining your certification.
The demand for home health aides is projected to grow 34 percent from 2019 to 2029 as the demand for health services increases with our aging population. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, home health aides earned an average annual salary of $25,280* per year in 2019.
Career #5 – Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Medical assistants can apply their job training and skills to a career as an occupational and health safety technician. Occupational and health safety technicians collect data on the health and safety conditions of the workplace. They conduct tests and measure results to determine hazards that may harm coworkers, property, the environment, and the general public.
Occupational health and safety technicians generally work in a non-critical environment out of the direct line of blood, pain, and trauma. They work in a variety of settings from hospitals and physician offices to factories and mines. Fieldwork is a big part of this job and a great fit for medical assistants who want to travel. Occupational health and safety technicians that work in medical facilities help their coworkers and patients alike by ensuring the physician office, hospital, clinic or medical facility is safe by reporting and mitigating risks in the environment. You can become an occupational health and safety technician by completing a medical assistant program and obtaining your certification.
The demand for home health aides is projected to grow 38 percent from 2014 to 2024 as the demand for health services increases.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational health and safety technicians earned an average annual salary of $43,640* per year in 2019.
Why Choose Florida Technical College Medical Assistant School?
U.S. healthcare occupations are projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, providing 2.4 million new jobs throughout the country over the next decade. The healthcare industry is growing more rapidly than any other sector in new jobs. This job growth is a result of our aging Baby Boomers who are living longer and more active lives. Changes in federal regulations over the past couple of years have also contributed to this demand by increasing the number of people with access to health insurance. As a result, men and women who are seeking a new career or career change, and want to work in the healthcare industry are being welcomed with open arms.
The Medical Assistant Program at Florida Technical College provides men and women alike with a great opportunity to learn job skills they can use to earn a good living while helping others. Medical assistants can specialize in different concentrations away from the front lines and still make a large impact through their contributions. The healthcare industry offers endless opportunities for medical assistants with high-demand careers such as Pharmacy Technicians, Medical Transcriptionists, Health Information Technicians, Home Health Aides, Occupational and Health Safety Technicians, and more.
If you’re looking for a new career or a career change, contact Florida Technical College and learn how you can get started in the Medical Assistant School. The medical assisting classes will provide you with specialized training and hands-on experience working in a real medical setting. Upon graduation, you will have the knowledge and experience you need to take and pass the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam and begin an exciting career as a medical assistant in the healthcare industry.
*Any salaries mentioned in this article are referencing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as the source. FTC does not guarantee salaries as this will vary per each employer and also based on individual experience per employee. The salary mentioned could also require specific criteria in experience or additional licensing. Please make sure you understand and consider this when considering your career growth.
Sources
Medical Assistant Salary $34,800
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-6
Pharmacy Technician Salary $33,950
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm#tab-5
Medical Transcriptionist Salary $33,380
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-transcriptionists.htm#tab-5
Health Information Technician Salary $42,630
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm
Home Health Aide Salary $25,280
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm
Occupational Health and Safety Technician Salary $43,640
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-health-and-safety-specialists-and-technicians.htm#tab-5
