Medical assistants are the jack of all trades in the medical field. While every position in healthcare can require a versatile foundation of knowledge and an adaptable spirit, medical assistants are expected to perform a wide variety of tasks, ranging from fundamental medical services to managing administrative tasks. They are often key players in the operations of medical offices of all types.
At St. Louis College of Health Careers (SLCHC), our Medical Assistant Diploma program will give you the skills you’ll need to excel in every area as a medical assistant, blending theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience so you can sit for the Certified Medical Assistant examination (AAMA) and start your career with confidence.
Medical Skills
Vital Signs Measurement
Medical assistants are responsible for measuring and recording patients’ vital signs like blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respiration rate. The instructors at St. Louis College of Health Careers will teach you how to properly use essential equipment, including blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, stethoscopes and pulse oximeters. Students also have the opportunity to use these devices in real-world settings during their medical assistant externship.
Phlebotomy
Drawing blood is a common task for medical assistants. Learning proper techniques for phlebotomy and venipuncture is critical to ensure fast blood draws with minimal discomfort and a low risk of infections.
Injections and Immunizations
Medical assistants may administer a number of different injections, including intramuscular, subcutaneous and intradermal. They should also be trained in patient education, helping patients understand their injections to alleviate any anxiety.
Basic Wound Care
Medical assistants are often put in charge of cleaning and dressing wounds, removing sutures and applying bandages, as well as watching for signs of infection and acting promptly.
EKG/ECG Administration
Knowing how to perform an electrocardiogram (EKGs/ECGs) to monitor heart activity is a crucial skill. Our program and your externship will teach you the correct placement of leads on the patient’s body and how to interpret EKG results and identify any critical cardiovascular issues.
Assisting with Minor Surgical Procedures
Medical assistants may be asked to assist with surgeries, often by organizing the instruments and sterilizing them.
Specimen Collection
Medical assistants are often required to collect urine, stool and other samples from patients for laboratory testing, which requires thorough knowledge of how to label accurately as well as how to prevent contamination.
First Aid and CPR
Like any healthcare professional, medical assistants must know how to perform first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in emergencies. The instructors at St. Louis College of Health Careers will ensure you’re equipped with thorough knowledge of the basics as well as more advanced and specialized first aid.
Other Essential Skills
Aside from medical skills, medical assistants’ education also involves a heavy focus on practical skills. While medical assistants’ duties can vary depending on where they work, with a hospital demanding starkly different responsibilities than a physician’s office or research center, one constant is that they must be able to balance their clinic duties and administrative work equally without compromising one for the other.
As a medical assistant – especially if you’re working in a smaller team, such as for a physician’s office – you’ll likely be in charge of verifying patient insurance coverage, handling pre-authorizations, claims submissions and billing. Medical assistants typically work with insurance companies more than other healthcare professionals, hashing out any issues to ensure reimbursements are received promptly to minimize delays.
Another important duty is operating medical software and managing electronic health records. Medical assistants must have the technical proficiency and attention to detail to verify that critical patient data is input accurately. Even one error could compromise the effectiveness of a patient’s treatment or even put patients at risk, especially if things like pharmaceutical allergens are input incorrectly in the system. As such, medication assistants must be diligent and detail-oriented in even the smallest of tasks – which is why having a rigorous and reliable medical education and externship is key to giving you the confidence you need to perform your duties effectively.
Start Your Journey Into a Medical Assistant Career With a Strong and Reputable Education
The Medical Assistant diploma program at St. Louis College of Health Careers is designed to equip students with the comprehensive and diverse skill set they’ll need to succeed in this dynamic position. With a blend of rigorous coursework, one-on-one guidance from experts and hands-on training during an externship, we prepare our graduates to sit for the CMA, succeed in their field and achieve their long-term career goals.
Call 866-529-2070 to learn more about our medical assistant diploma program and any of our other programs and start your application today.