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Almost all medical procedures are closely related to medical assistants.
They do not only perform administrative duties but also deal with clinical issues.
They need to be people who successfully solve problems and skillfully react in emergencies, who possess good interpersonal skills to be able to work with both patients and medical professionals.
They must be detail-oriented when entering data and possess strong analytical skills and above all, they need to love to help people in need.
If all the above mentioned seems like by your personality, then this is the perfect moment to look for your place among these wonderful people.
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
Each job description emphasizes the fact that medical assistants work side by side with doctors, nurses and other staff.
They are their right hand during medical procedures and this is completely true.
However, rare are those who would mention that medical assistants are not constantly under the supervision of doctors since there are duties like giving first aid and helping the patient, measuring blood pressure and temperature, doing lab work and dealing with blood samples without the help of a doctor.
So, this means that they represent an important part of the healthcare field and these are the moments when the acquired knowledge takes place.
Becoming a Medical Assistant in Maine
Because the law does not require them to have a formal medical education, but the employers seek skillful and experienced individuals, many people decide to enter the program which will provide them with all the preferred qualifications and give them a medical assisting diploma.
The programs have lessons in the classroom as well as laboratory work and offer a broad and intensive understanding of healthcare.
Whether the students will be asked to work front office or back-office tasks depends on the facility, so they need to know how to perform both duties and study medical assisting administrative skills and skills involving assistance in inpatient care as well.
The curriculum usually includes the classes about:
- Examination techniques
- Clinical aspects of billing
- Surgical procedures
- Medical office laboratory procedures, etc.
The finishing of these programs offers you the eligibility to sit for and pass a national credential exam, to gain the certificate.
Requirements
The selection of medical assisting programs should be based on accreditation provided by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and they are located in:
- Bangor
- Presque Isle
- Fairfield
- Calais
- Online
The CAAHEP accredited programs in Maine offer certifications ad Associate in Applied Science in Medical Assisting, Associate in Allied Health – Medical Assisting and Associate of Science in Medical Assisting.
Also, you will be asked to complete a practicum which might vary from 200 to 500 hours and it includes:
- Medical Law and Ethics
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Office Procedures
- Computer Applications
- Medical Assistant Technology, etc.
Additionally, you must complete a field experience/internship in hospitals, ambulatory surgery clinics, medical centers, and physician’s offices.
After finishing medical assistant education programs you get the opportunity to take the CMA exam.
Even though the credentials are not required by all employers, people are enrolling in programs and take certification examinations to become professionals in this field and know what to do upon entering the clinic.
The most widely recognized professional certifications for medical assistants in the U.S. are:
- The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
- The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).
Getting a Job
Across Maine, job opportunities for medical assistants are expected to increase and many students are considering medical assistant education and certification as their future aim.
If you are already a certified medical assistant in Maine, it is time to search for a job.
The Maine State Society of Medical Assistants can assist you in this effort to try the right employer.
When choosing a job you should pay attention to the geographic location of the facility, since it can be an important factor in a medical assistant’s salary and job opportunities, as well as the population density and number of facilities in that area.
Medical assistants can find employed in a broad number of hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and private physicians’ offices and the candidates with post-secondary education will certainly have greater chances of getting.
Medical assistants might find work in:
- Mid Coast Hospital – Brunswick
- Central Maine Medical Center- Lewiston
- Bridgton Hospital – Bridgton
- Mercy Hospital – Portland
- Southern Maine Medical Center – Biddeford
- York Hospital – Kittery
- Maine General Health – Augusta
- Eastern Maine Medical Center – Bangor
- Western Maine Health – Belfast
- Sebasticook Valley Hospital – Pittsfield
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics which collects the data related to employment and salaries throughout the US states, when it comes to Maine’s medical assistants, they earn a higher average salary than the national average in this field.
It is even expected that the number of medical assistants employed in Maine grows in the years to come.
The Maine Department of Labor reported that an average annual salary of $ 31,300.
It is reasonable that entry-level positions earn less than their more experienced counterparts.
The table below shows the salary of a medical assistant in the state of Maine annually since it varies from one city to another.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Auburn,ME | $34,085 |
| Augusta,ME | $32,618 |
| Bangor,ME | $31,496 |
| Biddeford,ME | $34,269 |
| Lewiston,ME | $34,085 |
| Portland,ME | $34,430 |
| Saco,ME | $34,361 |
| South Portland,ME | $34,430 |
| Westbrook,ME | $34,430 |
| Windham,ME | $34,407 |
Regional Salary in Maine
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | 660 | $45,140 | $21.7 | $52,440 | $38,230 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 340 | $46,900 | $22.55 | $52,340 | $39,080 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 1,080 | $46,450 | $22.33 | $54,390 | $39,530 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
The primary obligations of medical assistants can be administrative tasks such as insurance forms, medical bills, answering calls and questions and scheduling appointments.
They are first to be encounter once entering the clinic and the last one to give you all the necessary information related to medication and explain doubts that you might have about the advice that physician has given to you.
They might also be asked to provide medical duties such as assistance to other health care staff by measuring patient’s weight, blood pressure, collecting blood samples, doing laboratory work, etc.
Whether both of the above-mentioned duties will be assigned to one person or will be separated into two or more, depends on the amount of work that the facility daily performs and the size of it.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Medical Assistant
Medical Assisting by City
Medical Assisting by State