Why i Want to Become a Medical Assistant

Introduction

The medical assistant profession represents the meeting point for skill and empathy in a healthcare professional role. The contributions medical assistants provide in healthcare settings are crucial for the overall functioning of the system moving forward. These contributions are made by individuals with a driving purpose to go into the many complex and diverse corners of the healthcare system specifically to ensure that the overall functioning aligns as much as possible with patient needs in accessibility, comfort, and safety. Studies exploring the driving motivations for the career choice of healthcare professionals find that the recent compassionate calls made to healthcare workers that focused on several primary motivators are reflected to a lesser extent in medical assisting literature.

While wages and working conditions are significant factors in career choice, it is important for both individuals pursuing this career and the healthcare organizations that will employ them to better understand the broader reasons that people choose to become medical assistants. This essay delves into and discusses the motivations explored in the literature and their potential impact on recruitment and the profession itself.

Demand for medical assistants in the workforce continues to grow. The United States Department of Labor projects a 19% increase in employment from 2019 to 2029. However, despite the fact that becoming a medical assistant does not require extensive training or multiple years of graduate education, the field demands a slightly unique, diverse skill set. Understanding the motivations behind why people might choose to become a medical assistant and be drawn to work with the demographic of people that the profession serves is of unique importance. Understanding these motivations will help to recruit and retain quality employees who have a high likelihood of being well-suited for the position, benefiting both employee and employer.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

A medical assistant is a professional who takes on both clinical and administrative responsibilities at the same time. They are known to perform vital roles in settings related to healthcare to keep them functioning efficiently. A few of the administrative tasks taken on by medical assistants include working with the management of information and performing various documentation responsibilities required for handling patients, processing insurance, and patient record-keeping. Besides this, they also handle the management of healthcare operations. Medical assistants primarily perform their roles in primary care clinics. They also help in providing assistance to the doctors. The projected collection of jobs for medical assistants is expected to boom from 2020 to 2030.

Educational Requirements

Candidates can pursue a career as a medical assistant by completing a high school diploma or a specific associate degree in programs available for medical assistants. Apart from this, they should also be willing to develop certain soft skills like good communication, critical thinking, and interpersonal abilities. There are a few computer applications that an interested candidate should be able to use, such as those used in maintaining medical databases. The medical assistant occupation is certified. Usually, medical assistants are expected to attend to multi-level tasks and obligations. Medical assistants also split their time between overseeing administrative duties and patient care. These individuals work in large health centers and hospital units equipped with emergency treatment preparations.

Personal Motivations

What motivates people to become medical assistants? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Instead, it's the confluence of numerous factors. The mere act of considering a career as a medical assistant is one of the major reasons the career path is so appealing to so many people. A passion for medicine is great motivation for pursuing a program and embarking on a career in the healthcare field. Those individuals who highly value job stability and career advancement might also be attracted to the wide variety of opportunities and benefits offered by the vast majority of reputable offices and clinics.

A commitment to making a difference in one’s community and to having a direct impact on people themselves is another big motivator. Expanding on this line of thought, a background or at least a strong interest in healthcare is a very common reason for people to become certified medical assistants. One's own experiences with doctors and other healthcare professionals can dominate the conversation explaining why someone wants to become a CMA. Experiencing the deep emotional rewards in general care positions can be a very influential factor in choosing to pursue a career in working with medical staff. The convenience of being able to work in large cities, which tend to offer clearer job opportunities as MAs, affects reasons for wanting to work in general care.

Challenges and Rewards

The demand for medical assistants is growing. People might wonder, "Why would anyone want to become a medical assistant?" There are good reasons to consider this career path. It is important for anyone considering this line of work to be aware of both the struggles and rewards involved.

There are many physical, mental, and emotional challenges faced by medical assistants. High workloads, endless appointments, and a sea of forms comprise a good amount of the administrative work. The emotional toll of having a front-row seat to pain and suffering provides a different sort of challenge. Some healthcare assistants also have to lift patients and spend much of their day on their feet. This can result in burnout. Being a medical assistant is not just about paperwork. Being a medical assistant involves dealing with people, often when they're going through the most challenging times in their lives. This level of interaction is both a challenge and a reason why so many people are attracted to this profession.

Despite the demands of the job, being a medical assistant reaps many rewards. This field is growing much faster than the average. Many assistants start this job to test the waters in healthcare and end up moving on to become either RNs or doctors. Long-term career prospects are promising, especially due to the fact that the need for healthcare professionals with some sort of education and training is only growing. The job outlook is also good. Many medical assistants are satisfied with the work they do. Many enjoy being able to help others feel better. Some love having the option of advancement opportunities. There's also the joy of forming caring relationships with patients. A career as a medical assistant is for those who can handle both the ills of humanity as well as the triumphs. It's for those who can handle the never-ending cycle of work and do so on their sore feet. It's truly work that requires resilience and mentality.

Conclusion

Finally, the medical field represents hope, healing, and countless possibilities; by choosing to work within healthcare, we can each contribute to the better world we want to see. To those new in their paths and considering why a career as a medical assistant may be a promising choice, I encourage you to turn inwards—in the midst of heartaches and indignities, which stories remind you that love is the only thing that matters, and helping others is what you do best? Evaluate these stories as they relate to how you want to craft the life you strive toward. Ashley and Michael are not just in the business of healthcare; they are in the business of lives—and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

It is our understanding of these roles that we hope to expand upon in this series so that you may grow more knowledgeable in your determination. There are countless reasons medical assistants choose this occupation—from performance opportunities, to financial security, to guaranteed need, to making a difference in other human lives, to the frequent excitement, variety, adrenaline, and both personal and professional growth. As an LPN in Chicagoland, notes, “As an ashy and determining where to put emphasis in our series, we discovered an incredibly impacting fact: people are resilient; people survive impossible atrocities, suffering, and inequality and rise victorious. They are physically torn to ribbons and spend the entire day pressing the pieces of their body together; the way we metathesiaphorically heal a world thus tearing itself is to give a taste of these same opportunities.” She dreams to give hope by offering refugees an opportunity to land on their feet for a brighter, more prosperous future—the dream for every refugee. Pearl and her team are calling on volunteers to fly to where they can offer a lifeline. They work in all areas, including construction, distribution, reception, carpentry, advertising, HR, social service, and PR, and all are welcome to join this life-altering assignment.

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