Working at the hospital is not considered a rewarding and satisfying job, but many young individuals would not mind spending all working day around doctors and cooperating with people interested in human welfare.
They know that their desire to help people in need will earn them a decent salary, but that is not the only reason for entering the medical field.
Knowing that, once they enter a clinic, patients completely rely on doctors and their staff, they realize that they are of crucial importance to them and find fulfillment in the eyes of those who happily leave the clinic.
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
A medical assistant is in charge of the successful functioning of a physician’s office or hospital.
The patient examination is done with their assistance and they must check the vital signs of patients once entering the clinic.
Their other daily duties are measuring the weigh of the patients, calming them and giving support, updating medical records and scheduling appointments among many other tasks.
They might work in several types of environments, like hospitals, private practices, clinics and even in mobile units that travel around, to provide medical care.
In hospitals that are open 24 hours a day a medical assistant may work overnight and long hours.
Becoming a Medical Assistant in Wyoming
The educational prerequisites for a medical assistant job in Wyoming include a high school diploma.
This means that they start working without any previous knowledge related to health care and learn everything while on the job.
On the other hand, some people decide to gain education and experience before they start working which makes them more favorable candidates for this job.
Employers are determining the educational requirements by being interested in those candidates who possess prior experience working in the medical assistant field, graduation from college and completion of a medical assistant training or certification program.
To achieve knowledge and get a certificate as proof of their education, students can enter medical assistant schools and get prepared for the responsibilities of the occupation.
These classes have the aim to introduce students with the specific tasks of assistants and provide them with the basic information on how a doctor’s office operates.
Requirements
Since no formal education is required for entering this field, training and education most often happen on the job under the supervision of a doctor.
So, if you possess a high school diploma, you can easily become a medical assistant.
However, the assistants have their role in dealing with patients and at least the minimum knowledge is necessary to know what to do when everything is in your hands.
So, getting further education and becoming a certified medical assistant should be considered.
The organized courses and programs prepare them to work with at all medical facilities and learn them how to care for ill patients.
There are accredited associations who offer these kinds of programs and offer the future medical assistants the chance to become:
- Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
- Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
- Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA)
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
- Medical Assistant (NCMA)
The curriculum is related not only to medicine but the clinic as a business, where they will get acquainted with administrative subjects as well.
Getting a Job
Medical assistants can find work in Wyoming in all the facilities where medical and health services are provided.
After successfully finishing the courses, another important thing is to find a satisfying job and get into the medical field as soon as possible.
When applying for the job, the chances for getting it are equal for all the candidates and the criteria on which the employers decide are up to the individuals.
Yet, better positioned among participants are those with the certificate.
Regarding the fact that job growth is expected to continue in Wyoming, there is the chance that the number of job prospects consequently increases.
Medical assistants may look for job opportunities in:
- Memorial Hospital of Carbon County
- Cheyenne Children’s Clinic
Salary
The annual medical assistant salary in Wyoming ranges from $ 30 550 up to $ 32 168.
The salary depends upon a few personal factors, such as working experience, schools attended and qualifications gained, and daily responsibilities at the clinic.
When it comes to other factors, the type of office a person works for plays a great role.
The larger and busier clinics have higher pay rates, but at the same time demand more job commitment and professional education.
The location of the clinic also determines salary, since hospitals in a larger city will pay a higher wage than those in small towns.
The table below shows average salaries for medical assistants in major cities of Wyoming, presenting the difference from one place to another:
Annual Salary Range:Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
---|---|
Casper,WY | $32,168 |
Cheyenne,WY | $31,325 |
Gillette,WY | $30,550 |
Laramie,WY | $31,698 |
Rock Springs,WY | $31,554 |
Regional Salary in Wyoming
Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Casper, WY | 160 | $41,210 | $19.81 | $46,290 | $35,140 |
Cheyenne, WY | 190 | $41,350 | $19.88 | $52,240 | $30,320 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
Future medical assistants have to take into consideration the various roles that they might have in a typical clinic and all the obligations and responsibilities that go with this job.
This job indeed has numerous positive spheres, such as good salary, stable employment, and a bright future, but it also has negative sides.
The tasks and duties of an assistant greatly depend on the facility they are working in.
The more popular and reputable hospital has greater demands and the amount of daily work.
No matter where they work, assistant duties include assisting in examinations performed by the doctor and collecting blood and tissue samples for laboratory testing, greeting patients and answering all their questions and concerns, scheduling appointments, interventions and visits and collaborating with other facilities and pharmacists.
The ideal candidate should be familiar with all these and many other tasks and emotionally strong and mature in cases of emergency.
Summary
Even though being a medical assistant in Wyoming is not the most financially satisfying job, it can still be very rewarding in other ways.
A medical assistant job is exciting, challenging, full of surprises and expectations.
Working as a medical assistant is stressful, and those who are interested in becoming medical assistants should be aware of the difficulties that they might meet when deciding whether this is an ideal position for them.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Medical Assistant