Another year is upon us and with it comes an opportunity for a better future. If you’re frustrated with a job that’s going nowhere, it’s a good time to make a career move. Among the many industries to choose from, the medical assisting field has more perks to offer than most, you won’t be disappointed. Let this year be a time for growth and change.
Why Do People Work in Healthcare?
Most people who enter the healthcare field do it for the love of science and people. Medicine harnesses the power of knowledge to improve the lives of individuals and the well-being of entire communities.
However, healthcare is also a broad field that welcomes people with all types of talents. Whether your interests and aptitudes lie in business, finance, science or medicine, there’s a place for you on the team. Medical assisting appeals to many students as a career because it requires a little of each. You’ll never feel bored or irrelevant.
Why Become a Medical Assistant This Year?
Healthcare has always been a rewarding field, but it’s poised for even greater growth in the coming year and through the next decade. Becoming a medical assistant now puts you on the ground floor of the next great expansion. Medical assistants enjoy:
Unprecedented Demand
Shifting demographics are forcing us to reimagine healthcare. As the American population ages, the need for preventative healthcare is soaring. Many US adults now have one or more chronic illnesses, so primary healthcare providers are playing an increasing role in the control and prevention of disease. As a medical assistant, you’ll be part of a team that improves the accessibility and delivery of essential services.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in the healthcare sector in the next decade. While other jobs are being eliminated by automation, the US needs more than 115,000 new medical assistants to keep pace with the demand. You won’t struggle to find a job you like.
A Challenge
Life is too short to be bored at work. If you don’t feel engaged, it’s time to move on. As a medical assistant, you’ll handle a broad range of clinical and administrative tasks in doctor’s offices, hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. There’s never a dull moment.
And what you do won’t be busywork. Each task contributes to patient care, so it’s both meaningful and satisfying. You’ll use your full range of skills to perform the job you trained for.
Personal Fulfillment
We all want to have a positive impact on the world, but that’s a tall order in some jobs. If you feel disconnected from people and want to do more for others, becoming a medical assistant helps you do that.
As a frontline worker, you’ll be there when people need you the most, helping them to overcome personal health challenges. You’ll be a comforting voice, a source of guidance and a hand to hold. Nothing feels better.
Lifestyle-Friendly Training Options
Most healthcare careers require a college degree, but not everyone has years to spend in school. If you want to break into the field but can’t afford to sit in a classroom while the bills go unpaid, a vocational school medical assisting program is a chance to pursue your dreams.
Full-time students graduate with a diploma in months, not years. Vocational schools understand the challenges today’s students face, so they work hard to make success attainable. You can learn your way and on your schedule.
An Enviable Work-Life Balance
As a medical assistant, you can reap the benefits of a healthcare career without sacrificing family time and personal pursuits. There are some evening and weekend jobs available, but most medical assistants work predictable Monday through Friday hours with holidays off and plenty of time for the kids and hobbies.
A Supportive Environment
Working with people who aren’t on the same page is exasperating. Nothing gets done, and no one gets along. But the healthcare environment is different. It’s not always perfect, but people try to work together because they share a common goal.
The management is structured, so you always know who to turn to for help, and colleagues are respectful. Team members learn from each other and lean on each other, making it easy to thrive as a new medical assistant.
Respect
People in some fields are underrepresented. However, did you know that medical assistants have an organization that represents their educational, professional and legislative interests?
Founded in 1955, the American Association of Medical Assistants gives medical assistants clout. As a result of their efforts, wages, training opportunities and public recognition for medical assistants have increased.
Medical assistants are no longer seen as unskilled helpers but as the educated, allied health professionals they are. You’ll get the respect and acknowledgement you deserve.
Advancement Opportunities
Medical assisting can be a forever job, but it can also be the first step to a different healthcare career. For some students, becoming a medical assistant is a way to earn money while exploring the many aspects of medicine first-hand.
After a year on the job, you will have learned a lot about yourself, including which tasks you enjoy and which you excel at. If you want to work in healthcare but you’re not sure which direction to take, it’s a good start.
Medical assistants can also climb the career ladder through experience or by obtaining certifications. With a certificate in one of several disciplines including cardiology, geriatrics, administration, or women’s health, you can work in a specific area of medicine that interests you. It’s a flexible field with dozens of possibilities.
How Do You Become a Medical Assistant?
Becoming a medical assistant is as simple as completing a vocational school program. You’ll graduate work-ready with a diploma that qualifies you for the same positions as your college-educated colleagues.
The comprehensive curriculum prepares you for certification, a plus on your resume, setting you up for success and professional growth. It’s the best bargain in education today.
Final Thoughts
This year is still a fresh slate. So, if you’re not happy watching life pass you by, there’s still time to achieve your training goals. Start now and by next New Year’s Day, you could be a medical assistant.
Want to Learn More?
The Medical Assistant Training Program at CyberTex Institute of Technology takes great care of you by providing hands-on training, practical experience and the support it takes to get started in a medical assisting career without spending years in school. You will learn the basics of both clinical and administrative skills, and prepare to work in physician’s offices, hospitals, and other medical facilities.
Contact us today to learn more about our Austin and Killeen campuses.