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Being good in dealing with ill or wounded people and eager to help physicians, already makes you a perfect candidate for the obligations required by the medical assistant job.
If you are interested in people’s welfare, then you might want to pursue a career in the medical field.
The good thing is that you will be surrounded by people who are as passionate about human health as you are, you will provide care and compassion to the people who need it.
All kinds of people will be your clients and you will need to be patient and give them support when they are really worried about their health.
If all the above mentioned seems manageable for you, then a career as a medical assistant should be your future vocation.
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
A medical assistant is a health professional that works with physicians and other health professionals.
They perform tasks and procedures that are frequent and usual daily responsibilities in the clinical setting.
Measuring patients’ vital signs, administering medications and injections, updating medical records and collecting and preparing specimens of bodily fluids and tissues for laboratory testing are just some of their duties.
Whether they need to be certified or not depends on the state legal regulations and the requirements set by the employers.
Still, licensed professionals are trained to practice medicine and perform surgical procedures in collaboration with a physician and thus their duties are far more demanding and responsible.
Medical assistants can be found in ambulatory care centers, urgent care facilities, and clinics, both private and public hospitals and inpatient and outpatient facilities.
Becoming a Medical Assistant in Vermont
Medical assistant job does not require strict education since diplomas from high school or GED are enough in Vermont.
However, gaining higher education can help during the selection process once you apply for the job.
Across the United States, there are numerous programs and courses where you can start your education for becoming a medical assistant.
You can enter community colleges, training centers, vocational schools, and technical institutes and you get certified within six months up to two years.
The Vermont Department of Labor reports that the medical assistant employers require an associate’s degree, training in a vocational school and experience.
Employers look for medical assistants that have Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) credential or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential.
Professional certification shows the competency of a medical assistant, and it is voluntary and optional.
Requirements
It is a great thing that the possibility of finding a job without post-secondary education is offered to those who cannot afford it.
However, if you want to become a qualified professional, you can enroll in a medical assistant school in Vermont which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
The courses that you will have to pass are related to:
- Computing applications
- Medical terminology
- Medical billing
- Health psychology
- CPR and first aid
- Human biology
- Pharmacology
- Administrative medical assisting
After finishing the program you will become eligible to pursue CMA, RMA or NRCMA certifications.
You can take the test at one Prometric testing center near Burlington in Williston at 600 Blair Park Road, Suite 326, or in any other testing center in the region.
Getting a Job
Getting a certificate is one thing, and becoming an employed medical assistant is something completely different.
The certification is followed by the research of a suitable and satisfying medical assistant job in Vermont.
Ambulatory health care services and hospitals in Vermont employ the majority of all medical assistants:
Also, you can look for a job in long term care facilities and community health centers.
The newest information about employment in the medical assisting field can be found in national credentialing agencies like the AAMA, AMT, and NAHP.
Salary
When it comes to salary, medical assistant annual salary in Vermont is around $ 34 000.
Compared to some other states, it is neither too low nor too high.
There is a significant rise in open working positions and some states might get into a situation where they cannot find enough certified and trained assistants.
The annual salary of a medical assistant distinguishes among the cities around Vermont, but the difference is not too significant.
The amount of money earned depends on numerous factors such as experience, number of working hours and work setting.
The table below shows average salaries for medical assistants in major cities of Vermont, presenting the difference from one place to another:
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Burlington,VT | $34,081 |
| Colchester,VT | $34,081 |
| Essex,VT | $34,081 |
| Rutland,VT | $34,347 |
| South Burlington,VT | $34,081 |
Regional Salary in Vermont
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 680 | $44,310 | $21.3 | $50,640 | $39,240 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
Taking into consideration that medical assisting is a profession growing in popularity day by day, it should be known that it is a very responsible job.
They are supposed to be able to perform a large variety of duties and they represent a valuable part of the healthcare team.
The first duty is to have a face to face contact with clients, schedule appointments and update medical records of patients.
Then they have to prepare the examination and operating room, properly administer medication and prepare patients for the intervention.
Last, but not least, they assist the doctor during the examination or surgery, making their services crucial in the daily activities of a medical facility.
Duties vary according to laws of the jurisdiction and the experience and education that a medical assistant has.
More educated and well-trained assistants are entrusted with more serious tasks, thus making their salary higher and their responsibilities greater.
Summary
So, if you are compassionate, responsible for performing administrative tasks, patient and meticulous, and above all these have a genuine desire to help people, then you have fulfilled the first and foremost requirement for the position of a medical assistant.
Medicine is the ever-growing field which offers an abundance of the job for people interested in working on the team who is passionate about the health and welfare of people.
Medical assistants are important team members that have to cooperate not only with the patients but also with other healthcare staff making their job crucial in the functioning of the facility.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Medical Assistant
Medical Assisting by City
Medical Assisting by State