Michigan Medical Assistant Job Description

A Michigan medical assistant has great employment prospects, and can expect to have plenty of job openings to choose from in the future as well. This is one of the health careers where employment is growing faster than average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is some training involved, but a four year college degree is not necessary.

The training period for a medical assistant in Michigan is not all that long, usually it takes at the most around two years to complete an accredited medical assisting program of study that results in either a certificate or an associates degree. There are 24 such programs available. In order to further enhance job prospects, it is a good idea to become certified as well through the American Association of Medical Assistants. This involves taking an exam, and then completing continuing education requirements or retaking the exam every five years in order to keep your certification.

Most medical assistants work in the offices of physicians, general medical and surgical hospitals, offices of other health care practitioners, or outpatient care centers. A Michigan medical assistant usually has a combination of office and clinical responsibilities, with the exact mix of duties depending on the place where the medical assistant is employed. 

Some of the administrative tasks that are commonly assigned to medical assistants include filling out insurance forms and updating and filing medical records, as well as other tasks that office assistants might perform, such as answering phones and handling any necessary correspondence for the office. 

Clinical tasks vary depending on the state since different states have different laws regarding what it is allowed for these professionals to do and what isn't. Usually they do things such as prepare medical instruments for use, instruct patients on procedures, take medical histories, and assist physicians. They might also take vital signs or administer medication as directed by a physician.

The salary of a Michigan medical assistant will vary depending on a variety of different factors, but the mean annual wage nationally is $28,270, with the top ten percent of medical assistants making more than $38,480 and the bottom ten percent of medical assistants making less than $19,850. Louis Zhang, Medicalassistantprogram dot org