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People who have finished secondary education and are looking for a career related to health care, but cannot afford to go to colleges, might consider getting into the field of medical assisting.
Capable individuals ready to work with patients, doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, in a variety of different settings and who can stand long, irregular hours, night shifts and working on holidays and at weekends medical assistant vocation might be ideal.
They do not even have to worry about employment since there is a high demand for novice medical assistance in the USA.
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Job Description
The physicians are always followed by medical assistants who help them provide health care.
Medical assistants can be working in several different facilities such as hospitals, in clinics, in private practices and in ambulatory care, which is typically only open during standard business hours.
They also have the option of working full-time or part-time hours, depending on their preferences.
A medical assisting career is also very attractive since you can get a diploma in less than two years by being trained and educated for work.
This job demands analytical and problem-solving skills, they need to be detail-oriented and precise.
Possessing technical skills is also an advantage, meaning that they will be asked to use basic clinical instruments and computers during the work.
Becoming a Medical Assistant in Hawaii
To gain knowledge related to medical assisting, there are numerous programs widely available in community colleges, vocational schools, technical schools, and universities.
The selection of these programs should be made based on the accreditation since when finishing some of them might you might not be eligible for taking the certification exam. Post-secondary education related to medical assistance usually takes about 1 year to complete and get a certificate or diploma, or 2-year to get an associate’s degree.
Classroom lessons and laboratory work are obligatory parts of every curriculum.
The post-secondary education and certification enhances your marketability and will certainly lead you to better employment.
Requirements
Medical assistants do not have to possess any kind of educational certification according to the Hawaiian law and they can learn the job during the work.
Being that employers are more interested in hiring a graduate from postsecondary education programs who are more knowledgeable, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) offers certification to graduates of medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
After finishing the program and gaining the appropriate education and training, the future medical assistants have to take and pass the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam.
The assistants can pass this test since medical assisting programs offer education related to:
- Human anatomy, physiology, and pathology
- Medical terminology
- Record keeping and accounting
- Laboratory techniques
- Pharmacology
- First aid
- Medical law and ethics.
The accredited associations who offer these kinds of programs are:
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA): American Association of Medical Assistants
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential, American Medical Technologists
- National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA), National Center for Competency Testing
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), National Healthcare Association
- The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel In Ophthalmology: Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
- The American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants: Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified
Getting a Job
Besides deciding on an accredited program and sitting certification examination, once the education is finished, people who want to become medical assistants seek the job that will match their needs and lifestyle, and earn them enough money for a decent living.
The positive thing is that medical assistants can work in a variety of health centers, and job opportunities are numerous.
It is even expected that doctors will be in need to hire more medical assistants to handle administrative and clinical duties due to the increasing amount of work.
All the applicants for job offers have equal rights and chances, but to improve your job eligibility, you should acquire specialized skills that other medical assistants may not have.
Medical assistants might find work in:
- Queen’s Medical Center, Honolulu
- Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Honolulu
- Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu
Salary
The salary of a medical assistant depends on various factors which can be both personal and social.
Among the personal ones are the medical degree of a certified medical assistant, the responsibilities that are entrusted to him/her, the level of experience and working hours.
When it comes to social factors, they are the location of the facility, amount of work that the facility daily has, the development of the region and the level of the average income of the citizens where the facility is located, as well as the number of people seeking medical help.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that medical assistants in Hawaii might get higher salaries due to the increasing need for health care.
The current salary is around $ 35 691 which belongs to higher salaries regarding the whole USA states.
The table below shows the salary of a medical assistant in the state of Hawaii annually since it varies from one city to another but the difference is not significant.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Ewa Beach,HI | $35,932 |
| Hilo,HI | $35,691 |
| Honolulu,HI | $35,932 |
| Kahului,HI | $35,691 |
| Kaneohe,HI | $35,932 |
| Pearl City,HI | $35,932 |
| Waipahu,HI | $35,916 |
Regional Salary in Hawaii
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 340 | $49,720 | $23.9 | $65,320 | $38,110 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 2,950 | $47,430 | $22.8 | $58,390 | $37,440 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
Among the duties of a medical assistant are taking injectable medication, preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician, take electrocardiograms, keep medical records, and take care of the patients before and after the intervention.
In some clinics, administrative work is separated from medical work, so that the assistants can focus on just one of the two responsibilities to perform it more successfully.
However, in many facilities, both roles are entrusted to one medical assistant, so he/she needs to be able to multitask.
Medical assistants provide services that they have been properly trained for and that is why employers tend to seek medical assistants who have achieved a specific degree of education, training, and certification.
A medical assistant in Hawaii is allowed to perform tasks such as:
- Answering telephones and greeting patients
- Scheduling appointments
- Filing insurance paperwork
- Recording vital signs
- Drawing blood
- Administering medications
- Sterilizing medical equipment
- Assisting physician during exams, just to mention a few.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Medical Assistant
Medical Assisting by City
Medical Assisting by State