Being in the military offers a lot of benefits. You’ll feel a sense of pride knowing you’re helping your country, you’ll enjoy the respect that comes with the job, and you’ll learn skills that will last a lifetime. When your time in the military is up, however, you may wonder what’s the next step. If you were a military medic, you should consider using your knowledge and experience to become a medical assistant. Let’s learn more about how the Medical Assistant program at Prism Career Institute can help you further your career.
What Is a Medical Assistant?
A medical assistant is a professional who works alongside doctors to help provide healthcare services. Medical assistants can find work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics. They take on many different duties on any given day. As a medical assistant, you’ll likely handle both administrative and clinical duties. Specific medical assistant responsibilities include:
- Answering phones
- Scheduling appointments
- Bringing patients to exam rooms
- Recording their symptoms and making necessary updates to their medical histories
- Helping doctors during physical exams
- Talking with patients about their diet, lifestyle, and current medications
- Filling out insurance forms
- Dispensing medications and submitting refill requests
- Scheduling hospital visits or laboratory tests
- Changing wound dressings and removing stitches
- Drawing blood
- Performing EKGs and other medical tests
- Bookkeeping, coding, and billing
Why Is a Medical Assistant a Good Career for Those with Military Medic Experience?
As a medical assistant you’ll have a wide range of different duties, so having military experience is helpful. In the military, you need to be ready for any situation at any given time, so you’ll be prepared to juggle the responsibilities of the position.
It’s also useful to have such a background because the military teaches strong values and determination. Entering the medical field is a noble but challenging enterprise. You’ll need to use your drive and dedication to help your patients each day.
Being in the military also requires great communication. This skill set is vital for medical assistants who need to talk with both patients and their doctors to relay important information succinctly. Lastly, because many military medics may hold a technical specialty and have clinical experience, they may find the transition to medical assistant jobs easier.
Why Should You Become a Medical Assistant?
This career choice is becoming more and more popular for a reason. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 15% through 2033, which means you can expect nearly 120,000 openings on average each year. This means you’ll have an easier time finding and keeping a job once you’ve gotten your diploma.
Another positive is that the position opens many new opportunities. For instance, graduates from Prism Career Institute can decide to take the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) or Certified Electro-cardiology Technician (CET) exam to get their certification in either of these fields. You can also take additional training and get certified as an MCB specialist.
What’s more, much like your military career, working in the medical field plays a vital role in society. Those in medical settings are called upon daily to help people navigate health situations and experience greater well-being, often changing lives for the better.
Our Medical Assistant School
At Prism Career Institute, our Medical Assistant program is designed to help you learn everything you need to excel at this satisfying career. Our curriculum is packed with important classes, including pharmacology, medical law and ethics, anatomy and physiology, and clinical procedures, all of which allow students to get valuable insight into the patient care aspects of the job. You’ll also learn the administrative side of the role with courses on records management, career development, professional communication, and patient hygiene/infection control.
We offer convenient course schedules, including evening courses, allowing you to get your education in on your own time. The program overall includes 720 total hours and takes about 40 weeks of instruction to complete. These 720 hours are broken down into lectures (including remote learning), labs, and a medical assistant externship. Our externships provide unparalleled, hands-on experience that is guided by a healthcare professional.
Our students can take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), and we’ll even cover the cost of the exam after you’ve completed your externship.
Enroll Today at Prism Career Institute
Whether you have experience as a military medic or just want to help people, becoming a medical assistant is a great career choice. At Prism Career Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cherry Hill, and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, we offer in-depth programs and passionate instructors to help you learn. We even offer financial aid for eligible students who qualify, making it easier to afford your education. If you’re ready to enroll or have any questions, contact us today.