The Clinical Medical Assistant Job Description: Expectations Vs Reality

The Clinical Medical Assistant Job Description: Expectations Vs Reality
When it comes to beginning a career in the healthcare field, no two days are the same! While there may be many surprises on the job, it is important to approach a clinical medical assistant job description with a foundation of skills to thrive in this ever-changing environment. If you’re wondering how to become a certified clinical medical assistant or feeling intimidated by a clinical medical assistant job description, then don’t panic! We are breaking down the clinical medical assistant job description to debunk rumors about what this career is really like!  

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What is a clinical medical assistant responsible for? | Breaking down the basics

The job description for clinical medical assistants may be different from what you think, or maybe overwhelmingly detailed. In reality, it’s important to break down the basics of the job so they’re clear in your mind. A typical clinical medical assistant job description starts with the basics. Medical assistants work at the forefront of healthcare and engage with patients directly on a daily basis. Clinical medical assistant duties and responsibilities are done in a variety of medical settings including hospitals and doctor’s offices. So what is a clinical medical assistant responsible for? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities ¹. Typically, clinical medical assistant duties and responsibilities include the following:
  • Record patient history and personal information
  • Measure vital signs, such as blood pressure
  • Help physicians with patient examinations
  • Give patients injections or medications as directed by physicians and as permitted by state law
  • Schedule patient appointments
  • Prepare blood samples for laboratory tests
  • Enter patient information into medical records 1
As you can see, a typical clinical medical assistant job description could include many tasks that deal directly with patients and their immediate care. Now that we know exactly what a clinical medical assistant is responsible for, you can evaluate what skills you may need to improve on in order to gain employment in the field. Let us explore this career and how you could get started.  

How to Become a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

When looking for resources on how to become a certified clinical medical assistant, your expectation may be that there is one clear path to take. However, the reality is that there are many avenues within patient care that a CMA could pursue in this field. For now, let’s break down the basics! Pursuing a career as a medical assistant could be a rewarding decision! In addition to the gratifying work of providing care to patients in medical facilities, this career provides potential for job stability and opportunities for growth. The employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029 2. An increasing number of group practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities will need support workers, particularly medical assistants, to complete both administrative and clinical duties. Medical assistants work mostly in primary care, a steadily growing sector of the healthcare industry. When it comes to learning how to become a certified clinical medical assistant, Medical assistants typically graduate from postsecondary education programs. Although there are no formal educational requirements for becoming a medical assistant in most states, employers may prefer to hire assistants who have completed these programs to become certified assistants3. The good news is there are great resources to train you in how to become a certified clinical medical assistant. Obtaining the additional skills and training needed for the clinical medical assistant job description could even happen faster than you might think.

How Long is Clinical Medical Assistant School?

Now that you know what a typical clinical medical assistant job description looks like and how you could begin taking steps toward this career, you may be wondering how long training usually takes. You may expect that training is a years-long process, but the reality is that clinical medical assistant training programs can be completed in 9-15 months! In addition, many programs also offer flexible classes to help you balance your work, family, or other obligations. Now that you know the job description for clinical medical assistants and how you could get started on pursuing this career, you are ready to enroll in a training program!  

Clinical Medical Assistant Training Program at Blue Cliff College

If you are looking to pursue a career in healthcare and think the clinical medical assistant job description sounds right for you, take the first step with Blue Cliff College. Our Clinical Medical Assistant courses are designed with our students in mind. We offer flexible scheduling options to help you pursue your career training while balancing your other obligations. The Clinical Medical Assistant training program is offered at the following convenient campus locations: Blue Cliff’s career development services help you maximize your employment opportunities by providing valuable guidance, advice, and assistance. And financial aid is available for those who qualify. Your expectations may be that training to become a clinical medical assistant is a long process. But the Clinical Medical Assistant program at Blue Cliff College could be completed in 9-15 months while preparing you for the realities of working as a clinical medical assistant. Get started with the Clinical Medical Assistant training program at Blue Cliff College today!  

Learn more about Blue Cliff College’s Clinical Medical Assistant training program!

  Sources:
  1. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-2 
  2. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-6 
  3. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-4

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