The Best Medical Assistants Know How to Keep Patients Calm

Posted On October 29,2021

Many patients have anxiety regarding their medical care. They worry about what could be wrong, they worry about discomfort, they worry about their families, and they worry that every decision they need to make is critical to their care. In some cases, patients put off medical care because the anxiety is too great. This makes things worse, as delaying care can exacerbate both the anxiety and the medical issue. Patients need to know they’ll feel comfortable when they visit the doctor, and that’s where medical assistants can help.

Smiling female medical assistant helping an elderly patient.

What Medical Assistants Do

The role of a medical assistant is to work with the medical staff as well as the patients. A medical assistant is often the first person patients will encounter. The medical assistant may assist with patient check-in, escort the patient to the exam room, take a medical history and vital signs, and record any information about current conditions. At the end of an exam, a medical assistant will often debrief with the patient, ask if the patient has any questions, and make sure that the patient understands the doctor’s instructions. When you become a medical assistant, patient interaction is a big part of your job.

Become a Medical Assistant

When you begin a program to become a medical assistant, you will have classes and clinical hours to teach you the relevant skills you will need for the job. You will have classroom skills, clinical skills, and on-the-job training. During the time in your program, you will learn everything you will need to become a medical assistant, but more importantly, you’ll see if you have the right personal skills to be a successful medical assistant. Can you relate to your patients? Can you put them at ease? 

Become a Successful Medical Assistant

Obviously a good medical assistant will have the knowledge and skills to perform their duties well. But a successful medical assistant combines that knowledge with the right attitude toward their patients. Interpersonal skills are a huge part of what makes a successful medical assistant. When you are in training to become a medical assistant, focus on building these skills as well as your clinical skills. 

  • Confidence

Confidence doesn’t mean acting like you know everything, but it means that you are confident that you can get the patient the help they need. You want your patient to feel secure in the hands of the medical professionals.

  • Good Communication Skills

A medical assistant needs to be able to communicate well with their patients. Sometimes this is as simple as taking a procedure and comparing it to something familiar. Patients need to feel heard, and a medical assistant with good listening skills can help ease a patient’s anxiety. A good medical assistant will work to connect with each patient, even through simple small talk at the beginning of the appointment.

  • Compassion

Let patients know that they are not alone. People who are nervous and anxious about medical procedures visit the office every day. A compassionate medical assistant makes sure that the patients don’t feel judged for their anxiety or condition. 

When you become a medical assistant, you will be heavily involved in patient care. A successful medical assistant has the interpersonal skills to work with both medical staff and patients in a way that is beneficial to everyone. If you’re ready to start working towards a new career as a medical assistant, contact our admissions team to schedule a campus tour today!