Where Can Medical Assistants Work?

Posted On August 25,2021

Going back to school as a medical student is an exciting time. When you are exploring the options after becoming a medical assistant, you will find that MAs work throughout the healthcare field, even in places you may not expect. Medical assistants are crucial to the healthcare industry and can be found in nearly every facility. The career options for a medical assistant are varied and plentiful.

What Do Medical Assistants Do?

Becoming a medical assistant is a great way to begin a career in healthcare. Medical assistants help doctors, nurses, technicians, and administrators with a variety of vital tasks, including administering medication, checking vital signs, taking patient histories, collecting samples, processing insurance claims, and more. The duties you will have vary depending on where you work. The type of facility, size, location, and specialty all play a role in your day-to-day routine as a medical assistant as well.

Where Do Medical Assistants Usually Work?

Most medical assistants will work in physician’s offices, medical clinics, and hospitals. More than half of medical assistants work in these healthcare facilities and will most likely be responsible for both clinical and administrative tasks. While physician’s offices and medical clinics usually have regular hours, hospitals and urgent care centers will offer a variety of scheduling options. 

Alternative Careers for Medical Assistants

While finding a role in a physician’s office or hospital is the norm for most medical assistants, you aren’t limited to these healthcare facilities. Medical assistants can also find positions in facilities such as:

• Medical Research Centers

Medical assistants can help conduct clinical trials by collecting samples, preparing samples for study, administering tests, and documenting participant information and other data. If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant to work alongside doctors and scientists, this can be an excellent role.

• Diagnostic Laboratories

While some labs may require a certification in phlebotomy, there are medical assistant jobs available in labs that carry out testing on clinical samples.

• Nursing Facilities and Retirement Homes

As the population ages, medical assistant jobs in these locations are becoming more popular. Many residents aren’t sick, but simply need assistance. Medical assistants can help with administering medication, giving injections, and checking vitals. When a retirement facility employs an on-site physician, a medical assistant dedicated to assisting the physician is often needed as well.

• Insurance Companies

If you are more interested in the administrative side of healthcare, working for an insurance company can be a rewarding career as a medical assistant. Because you understand medical terminology, you will be able to organize hospital admissions, lab services, and the insurance claims that go along with these.

• Technician

If you are interested in furthering your career, you can acquire additional certifications to enhance your medical assistant resume and become a surgical technician, EKG technician, or phlebotomy technician. You will have increased responsibilities, but more access to specialized roles.

What to Consider When Becoming a Medical Student

Becoming a medical student is often the first step towards a career in healthcare, but it’s good to think about where you see yourself working in the medical field. You can earn a medical assistant diploma and begin working in the healthcare industry in under a year and knowing where you want to end up can help you focus your studies. Becoming a medical student means learning medical technology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, medical protocol, coding and billing practices, patient relations, and medical ethics. As you study you will find yourself considering where the right place for you is.

Learn More about our CMA Program

Becoming a medical assistant means going from the classroom to a growing career in under a year, and the possibilities for medical assistants are really endless. Medical assistants can work nearly anywhere that people need care, and that can open many doors for the right person. If medical assisting sounds like a good career option for you, contact our admissions team at Athena Career Academy today. We have accredited programs with flexible class schedules and we’d love to answer any questions you have about the program. Let’s talk today!