Archive for the ‘Medical Assistant’ Category
In the United States, Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physician’s supervision. This supervision, in most cases, need not be direct or on site and many PAs practice in remote or underserved areas in satellite clinics. PAs can treat patients and, in most states, prescribe medicine, and in some states in the US they carry a DEA number that gives them authority to prescribe controlled medications like narcotics. PAs in surgical practices also serve as first assists in surgery. PAs provide medical services that are reimbursed under Medicare and third party insurances.
Physician Assistants held about 65,000 jobs in 2005. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because some hold two or more jobs. For example, some PAs work with a supervising physician, but also work in another practice, clinic, or hospital. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there were about 58,665 certified PAs in clinical practice as of January 2006.
Just over 56 percent of PAs worked in the offices and clinics of physicians in 2005, either allopathic or osteopathic. About 36 percent were employed by hospitals. The rest were mostly in public health clinics, nursing homes, schools, prisons, home health care agencies, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, about 17 percent of all PAs provide health care to rural communities and those with fewer than 20,000 residents, in which physicians may be in limited supply.
In 2006, there are more than 130 accredited PA programs in existence in the United States. They are all accredited by one body — the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). A majority of them are master’s degree programs (requiring GRE for entry), but some are available as an undergraduate major. A number of these undergraduate programs are making a transition to graduate level training.
A Physician Assistant may use the post-nominal initials PA, RPA, PA-C or RPA-C, where the R indicates Registered and the C indicates “Certified.” The “R” designation is unique to only a couple of states; most Physician Assistants use the PA-C. The certification is granted by one certifying body, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners both provide similar services in most states, the major distinction being that nurse practitioners are registered nurses by trade. Nurse Practitioners require more training than physicians assistants, such as a Masters Degree in nursing. Both are also known as Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) or mid-level practitioners (MLPs).
PAs should not be confused with Medical Assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks in a physician’s office. A Medical Assistant (MA) is a multi-skilled allied healthcare practitioner who is competent in both a wide variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, as well as many administrative roles. Medical assistants have been described as healthcare’s most versatile, multifaceted professionals. Medical Assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures.
Formal education of medical assistants usually occurs in vocational or technical institutes, community colleges, proprietary schools, or junior colleges. The course length usually ranges from 1 to 2 year programs, complete with externships. The curriculum presented must always be accredited if its graduates plan to become either certified or registered. In 2002, there were 495 medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and about 170 accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education School (ABHES). Accreditation by either CAAHEP or ABHES usually requires that the schools curriculum provide sufficient classroom, lecture, and laboratory time (if applicable) to each of the courses below.
Administrative Courses
Computer Applications
Manual Recording of Patients’ Data
Scheduling Appointments
Maintaining medical Records
Word Processing/Typewriting/Keyboarding
Coding/Insurance
Telephone Triage
Personnel Management
General Courses
Anatomy and Physiology
Behavioral Psychology
Pathophysiology
Medical Terminology
AIDS/HIV
Patient Education
Medical Law and Ethics
Clinical Courses
Phlebotomy
l Medical Asepsis/Infection Control
Pharmacology/Administration of Medications
Assisting Techniques/Physical Examination
Assisting with Minor Surgery
Basic Laboratory Procedures/Routine Blood and Urine Testing
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
X-Ray Theory and Positioning
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
Certification is a voluntary process which is strongly backed by the AAMA and a number of other well respected certification bodies in the USA as a way to guarantee competency of a medical assistant at a job-entry level. However, in order to be eligible for certification one must attend a school which has been accredited by either CAAHEP or ABHES.
Certification is usually achieved by taking a test issued by the National Board of Medical Examiners and AAMA, or AMT, or NHA and is offered twice yearly, simultaneously, at over 200 different test sites across the United States.
Successful completion of the rather intense exam earns the taker the proper credentials to become a Certified Medical Assistant, or CMA. National certification is legally required in order for any medical assistant to adhere to CMA status. The title CMA then follows postnominally.
Recertification must occur every 5 years in order for one to maintain their credentials. There are two ways to do this; one may either continually earn continuing education hours by attending CMA meetings, conventions and seminars, or by completely retaking the initial exam to prove they still possess a certain level of knowledge.
A medical assistant may choose another possible credential over CMA, and become a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) instead. Again, credentialing is completely voluntary. The American Technologists (AMT) agency is responsible for certifying MAs who choose this course.
AMT first began offering this certification in 1972 on the months of June and November, through a computerized exam, much like the one offered by the AAMA. AMT therefore has its own conventions and committees, bylaws, state chapters, officers, registrations and revalidation examinations.
To become eligible to hold the title of RMA a student must be at least 18-years-old, pass a medical assisting curriculum at a school accredited by either ABHES or CAAHEP and possess a minimum of 5 years experience. The initials RMA then follow the individual’s name.
RMAs have historically been very active in legislation, seeking protection for medical assistants, as well as continuously encouraging improved educational curriculums.
Utah Medical Assisting School Trains for the Future
If you’ve recently graduated high school, or you’re looking for a career change, you’ve probably thought about our current economic situation. It has never been more important to train for a career you can depend on. With jobs constantly disappearing, students are becoming rightfully choosier about the path they choose to take. One career opportunity that some students are turning to is medical assisting. Unlike many other jobs, there is always a demand for those in the medical field. By attending a medical assisting college in Utah, Utah residents will get the knowledge and training you need to be a successful medical assistant. Unlike a traditional four year program, medical assistant training allows students to not only receive the textbook knowledge they need, but they’ll also be given the opportunity to learn practical career skills. This immediately places students above their competition since they’re already familiar with many on-the-job situations.
Medical Assisting Training Opens Doors
For many who choose a major at a four year college, options are fairly limited. This is certainly not the case for those who choose to study medical assisting in Utah. Medical Assistants are in demand nationwide. This means that if you’re interested in moving across the country, you can rest assured that your degree won’t become obsolete. If you want to branch out and explore other medical fields, you’ll already be equipped with the training you need to gain more credentials. Aside from all that, you’ll be involved in one of the fastest growing career paths out there. Regardless of where you choose to take your medical assisting training, or what exactly you choose to do with it, you can always know that your career is secure.
So whether you’re young or old, getting a medical assisting education in Utah can be an absolutely life changing decision. You’ll learn countless skills that will help you in the classroom, on the job, and in life. Not only will you be embarking towards a successful career, but a rewarding one, as well. If you’re worried about your financial future and where the economy is headed, now is the time to secure your career. Stop simply thinking about your future and do something about it. Enroll in medical assisting school today and receive the piece of mind you need.
by: Russell Williams
Medical assistant schools can be found across the country. Most offer diploma or certification programs, associate’s degree programs or both.
Diploma programs are open to students with a high school diploma or GED. Generally a year in length, these programs teach the knowledge and skills common to any medical assistant job. These include basic medical terminology, clerical and computer skills , preparing patients for examinations, assisting in exams and recording patients’ vital signs.
Associate’s degree programs are also open to holders of high school diplomas or GEDs. Running 18 to 24 months, they too cover the essentials of a medical assisting career, but also include general studies courses such as psychology, sociology, critical thinking and problem solving.
Regardless of the type of program, students with a successful high school background will find medical assisting classes challenging, but not overwhelmingly technical or advanced. Classroom work ordinarily includes lectures and multimedia presentations. The other side of any medical assisting program is hands-on learning in a lab, a simulated health care clinic or in an office. Medical assistant programs are streamlined with knowledge and skills you’ll actually need to thrive on the job. For example, you can expect to take classes in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, transcription, office practices, laboratory techniques, pharmaceutical principles, medical law and ethics. Most programs also include a period of externship, providing on-the-job experience in physicians’ offices, hospitals and similar facilities.
Most medical assisting school instructors are experienced medical assistants themselves and use their first-hand knowledge and experience to educate students. Tutoring is also normally available.
Many health care schools require their students to come to class dressed for their future profession – in clean scrubs, looking professional and neatly groomed. This prepares students to be professionals as well as provides them with the opportunity to experience real-world medical assistant culture first-hand.
Class hours vary, but most schools offer schedules that allow students to work while attending school. It’s not a breeze, between class work, home study, a job and the day-to-day business of living; it can be a real challenge. What makes it all worthwhile, though, is knowing you can look forward to the satisfaction and security of a meaningful job, in an in-demand, expanding field.