Have you wondered what it may be like to become a medical assistant? Perhaps you’re training to become a medical assistant now and wondering about what will happen once you pursue medical assistant jobs? Maybe you’ve looked at a medical assistant job description and wondered what it may really be like once you’re working in the field? Regardless of your current situation, if you’re curious about what you can expect as a first week medical assistant, we have you covered!
What You Can Expect In Your First Week as a Medical Assistant
Launching your medical assistant career can seem a little scary. This process doesn’t have to be scary though. With anything new, it’s always helpful to have a sense of what to expect. We recently sat down with Ms. Kim Knapp, the Medical Programs Manager at our Madison Heights, MI campus (Main Campus), to talk about this subject. Ms. Knapp shared some very helpful info with us on what you can expect in your first week as a medical assistant. Check it out below!
Apply Your Knowledge and the Medical Assistant Skills You’ve Learned
During your training, you were likely exposed to a variety of medical assistant skills and knowledge necessary for you to be successful. As you begin your medical assistant career, rely on your medical assistant skills and knowledge. Be confident in how hard you worked in school and all that you’ve learned in becoming a medical assistant. Ms. Knapp sums this up nicely by reminding graduates to “Take those tools and use them at the new job.”
Any time someone begins a new job, it’s natural to be a bit nervous. That feeling is just human nature and we all feel it at some point in time. Keep in mind though, you went to school for a reason. You chose a career training program to expose you to key medical assistant skills. You worked hard to obtain and master those medical assistant skills. Now it’s time to put those medical assistant skills and knowledge into practice. Ms. Knapp reminds us, “The office and the staff may look different but your medical knowledge and skills learned can allow you to excel quickly.”
Be Humble – Medical Assistant Jobs Aren’t Always Easy
Keep in mind, a medical assistant job description can vary. In addition, medical assistant jobs are not always easy. As you begin your medical assistant career, it is important to stay grounded. Ms. Knapp shares her thoughts with us on this by stating, “Like every job you must start at the bottom and work your way up. Plan on doing simple, sometimes mind-numbing tasks (like filing) until you prove to the staff that you are capable. Again, remember, these are people’s lives we are dealing with.”
Medical assistants may also be tested on a daily basis. By this, we mean several things. First, medical assistants may work with patients from different walks of life. For example, a medical assistant working in a clinic or an urgent care facility may see patient of various ages in any given day. Similarly, patients may present with different health problems. Not everyone you see in any given day will have the same diagnosis. As a result, those new to this field need to rely on their medical assistant training and experience to assist the patients and doctors they work with daily.
Stay Ethical and Don’t Take Shortcuts – this is your Medical Assistant Career
As you begin your medical assistant career, Ms Knapp gives us some great advice on how to carry out your job on a daily basis. “Always do things the correct way, you may see staff members taking shortcuts, don’t get tempted. Stay ethical, stay honest, be true to yourself and your patients.” You’ve worked very hard to launch your medical assistant career and patients are looking to you as a healthcare professional. You have a great responsibility. Don’t take it lightly! If you ever find yourself in a tough situation, seek out advice from someone you trust. This could be another colleague, a doctor, or perhaps a teacher. Regardless, patients are counting on you daily. You always want to make sure you’re doing the right thing for your patients and giving them the best care possible.
SMILE! And Be Friendly
For those working in medical assistant jobs, it is important to have good soft skills. You may wonder, what are soft skills and why are they important? Soft skills are qualities that allow a person to interact with others in a productive manner. Soft skills for a medical assistant include being friendly, empathetic, and being a good listener. It’s important for medical assistants to have good soft skills because patients who don’t feel well often need extra care when they go to the doctor. The medical assistant is often one of the first people a patient will interact with so they play an important role in setting the patient at ease.
Keep in mind as well that in your medical assistant career, you need to be empathetic but still professional. Ms. Knapp shares with us, “Be friendly, but don’t try to be friends with your patients. They DO NOT want to hear about you or your problems; they are paying for you to take care of them!” It’s a balance, and a very important one to keep in mind as you progress throughout your medical assistant career.
The Medical Assistant training program at Dorsey Schools
The Medical Assistant training program at Dorsey Schools in Michigan is designed to prepare students to pursue entry-level jobs this branch of healthcare. Medical assistants often perform both clinical and administrative duties. As such, the medical assistant training at Dorsey exposes students to both clinical and administrative medical assistant skills needed for success. Some of the medical assistant skills covered include phlebotomy, administering injections, EKGs, and CPR. Students can also learn about medical office administration tasks. The Medical Assistant program at Dorsey includes an externship during the final module of training allowing students to apply what they have learned in an actual occupational setting. Do you think medical assistant training may be right for you? In just one year, Dorsey Schools can help you prepare for a new career as a medical assistant!
Do you want to learn more? What are you waiting for? You can give Dorsey Schools a call at 888-422-1188 or request info online.
Reviewed and edited 12/6/17
