Starting any new job can be a daunting prospect, but there are basic expectations that can help you better prepare for your new position. Prism Career Institute’s Medical Assistant program will give you the necessary training and tools so you’ll be fully prepared for medical assistant work, but you may have questions about what will be asked of you on the job. If so, keep the expectations below in mind as you go through your training.
Expected Conduct
It’s important that you understand and adhere to your new employer’s policies in terms of dress code, shift scheduling, patient interaction and expectations of professionalism. Your externship will give you a better idea of what to expect from your new workplace, but it’s important to understand the nuances in policies between different jobs. For example, working for a hospital might have different protocols than working for a private clinic or lab.
Responsibilities
As you will learn during the Medical Assistant program, different job sites come with different responsibilities. Your responsibilities might range from answering telephones and updating patient portals to changing dressings and explaining aftercare. You’ll often have a vast range of responsibilities as a medical assistant, so you’ll need to know which elements of your training you’ll be able to utilize for your new job. Other responsibilities might include, but are not limited to:
- Patient sign-in and appointment scheduling
- Billing
- Completing insurance forms
- Patient education
- Checking vital signs
- Assisting with examinations
- And more…
Skills
Distinct from your responsibilities, you’ll develop necessary skills on your journey to become a medical assistant, and you’ll be expected to put them to work on the job. This includes interpersonal skills, such as good patient communication, as well as clinical skills, like drawing blood and taking electrocardiograms. During your career-focused coursework you’ll receive a blend of foundational medical education and hands-on experience to help ensure you won’t feel overwhelmed when it’s time to apply your new skills.
Train for a Career as a Medical Assistant
It’s always possible that your job as a medical assistant may require you to take on new duties. This means you’ll need to adapt to change as you grow in your new position. Fortunately, the Medical Assistant program at Prism Career Institute equips you to do just that. Apply online today to begin your degree at our Cherry Hill or West Atlantic City, NJ campus.