The 3 Step Guide to Becoming a Medical Administrative Assistant
Being in the healthcare industry is a role that is very attractive to a lot of people, especially individuals who love helping people. However, not everyone will be a doctor, nurse, or other common medical personnel. Other roles are also important for the effective running of a medical environment, and you can choose to venture into them.
One such role is that of a medical administrative assistant, who assists other medical professionals in the smooth running of the facility. They work under the supervision of a higher level health professional and carry out tasks like handling medical records and insurance claims. The role of a medical administrative assistant is very important in the hospital, and it varies by department and by the type of medical institution. It is therefore very important to find out what specialty area matches your interest.
Becoming a medical administrative assistant
The requirements to become a medical administrative assistant are not as extensive as those required for major healthcare careers. These three basic steps will help you achieve your goal of becoming a medical administrative assistant:
Complete high school
There is literally no program you can opt for without first completing high school and earning your high school diploma. A high school diploma is the benchmark for furthering your education program.
Invariably, a high school diploma is the minimum level requirement for becoming a medical administrative assistant. If you have not graduated highschool and received your diploma, you could get an equivalent GED. Without either graduating high school or having your GED, the chances of getting a job could be harder than expected.
Get certified
Although a medical administrative assistant might not be considered a core professional of the medical practice, you still will likely have to be a certified medical administrative assistant before being considered for work in any facility.
After deciding to become a medical administrative assistant, you should find institutes that offer medical assisting as a program and enroll in it. This program typically takes about two years to complete, which makes it quite a reasonable, less time-consuming route to a position in healthcare.
After completing the program, you can then sit for the certification exam. Taking the exam is not compulsory in all cases. Some individuals can begin working with a practice or institution immediately after completing the program. This is especially true for individuals who are able to establish relationships with other medical professionals and potentially get hands-on training from them.
However, doing the certification exam gives you a better chance of getting a good job with a better salary offering. Taking the medical administrative assistant certification exam can be quite pricey, so you should go all in with your studying and ensure that you are adequately prepared to take it.
The exam is actually divided into intuitive topic sections that are not so hard to pass if adequately prepared for. The sections range from basic inter-relations skills and communication to data collection. Understanding how the exam is broken down makes it easier for you to prepare for the exam.
This certification is only valid for 60 months, after which it is due for renewal. Renewal of the certification can be done either by taking another exam or having 60 hours of continuing education. These hours have to be spread across general, administrative and clinical areas to be considered valid for renewing the certification.
Get the job
After following the above steps of training and becoming certified, the next thing is to put yourself out there to get the best job you can. Trying to get a job as a medical administrative assistant is where you are required to polish your resume and demonstrate the potential of your skillset. Pay attention to what your potential employer requires and be prepared to communicate how you will meet those requirements.
Seeking knowledge from other experienced medical administrative assistants or in chghealthcare.com can be a huge help. This gained knowledge will help distinguish you from the many other applicants applying for the same role. This extra edge will help you prepare for an interview and help you communicate your understanding of your role and nuances therein.
Conclusion
Becoming a medical administrative assistant will allow you to fulfill your desire to help people while also getting paid for your job. Besides, remuneration offers for this role are quite attractive, with many other side benefits attached to it. So, as you can see, becoming a medical administrative assistant is a pretty good path to take.
