Medical Assistant

Description
Wage Data and Employment Outlook
Goals and Certificates
Prerequisites and Required Assessments
Training Providers
How to Get Started
Find a Job

Description

Medical Assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks in medical offices and clinics. Duties vary but may include filing, filling out insurance forms, ICD and CPT coding, answering telephones, greeting patients, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, bookkeeping taking medical histories, recording vital signs, preparing patients for examination, administering medication through injections, collecting specimens, drawing blood, performing various diagnostic procedures like EKG’s and audiograms, and assisting the physician (click here to visit ONET with additional job task descriptions).

This course at Tulare Adult School will cover Clinical Medical Assisting, Administrative Medical Assisting, EKG’s, Anatomy & Physiology, and Medical Terminology, with an emphasis on the electronic medical record, computer literacy and keyboarding. Professional work ethics along with resume writing are also implemented in this program. At the conclusion of this program, students will have obtained enough basic knowledge and experience to be prepared for an entry-level position as an Administrative Medical Assistant, a Clinical Medical Assistant, an EKG Technician, and a Medical Secretary. The student will also be prepared to sit for national examinations in those same disciplines.

The course at Visalia Adult School is designed for entry level into the administrative medical office. The student will learn the fundamental skills of the Administrative Medical Office environment with an emphasis on interpersonal skills and safety. The student will be able to interpret medical terminology, interpret medical abbreviations, answer phones, make patient appointments, maintain medical records (electronic and paper), interpret and facilitate prescription orders, use several communication modalities, and comprehend medical billing and coding. The student will be able to work in a private medical practice office, comprehensive clinic office, walk in medical clinic office, medical insurance clearinghouse, hemodialysis facility office, home health office, radiology office, clinical laboratory office, or hospice office.

Wage Data and Employment Outlook

Median Earnings* for Medical Assistants in the Central Valley *median earnings definition Median income is the amount that divides the income distribution into two equal groups. This means half of the jobs for this occupation pay more than this amount and half pay less than this amount.

$13.36/hr

Employment Outlook* in the Central Valley *employment outlook definition Employment Outlook numbers represent current employment information in the Central Valley of California. The 2016 total number of jobs is the number of individuals employed in this occupation in 2016. The 2020 estimated number of jobs is the estimated number of individuals that will be employed in this occupation in 2020. Expected Growth is the increase in the number of individuals expected to be employed in this occupation and is shown as a total number and a percent increase. The average annual growth rate is the rate at which, on average, the total number of jobs will increase each year.

2014 Total Number of Jobs in CV: 8,207 2020 Estimated Number Jobs in CV: 9,201 Expected Growth 2014 to 2020: Increase of 994 jobs, or 12.1%, an annual average growth rate of 1.9%

Goals and Certificates

Students completing the Tulare and Porterville Adult School  Clinical and Administrative Medical Assistant program will earn a Certificate of Completion in: Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting, Injection and Venipuncture, Electrocardiography Technician. Students will also be eligible to take an industry standardized competency test recognized by the State of California.

Students completing the Visalia Adult School Medical Assistant program will receive a WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) approved certificate of competency in Administrative Medical Assisting.   The student will also be eligible to take an industry standardized competency test recognized by the State of California.

Prerequisites and Required Assessments

The student must have a High School Diploma or equivalent, be 18 years old, and  must complete the CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems) reading assessment with a minimum score of 245 (for the Visalia Adult School program a score of 235 is required).  Some clinical sites require a background check and drug screen prior to placement.  Immunizations for health care personnel as per the CDC are also required.

Training Providers

Clinical and Administrative Medical Assistant Program:

• Visalia Adult School - CLICK HERE for more information on the Visalia Adult School Medical Assistant Program
• Tulare Adult School - CLICK HERE for more information on the Tulare Adult School Medical Assistant program

To find a training provider outside of the local area, visit www.healthjobsstarthere.com

How to Get Started

1. Decide on the Medical Assistant program you'd prefer.
2. Contact the training provider for enrollment information.

Find a Job

1.   Click Here for HEALTHCARE JOB OPPORTUNITIES on the SAEC website