Medical Assisting Careers You May Not Have Considered
Medical assistants are important to the healthcare system, helping doctors, nurses and patients and ensuring that everything at a medical facility runs smoothly. They perform a variety of important tasks, including taking patients vital signs, updating medical records, assisting with diagnostic tests, drawing blood, and more.
Once you receive training to become a medical assistant, you also open the door for different career opportunities. Some of these positions may require additional training or certifications but getting your medical assisting degree or diploma is a great first step on your healthcare career path. Here’s three career opportunities you can consider after obtaining a medical assisting degree or diploma.
Phlebotomy Technician
Phlebotomy technicians draw blood from patients, perform lab tests or take samples for diagnosis. When you receive training as a medical assistant, you’ll learn the basics of phlebotomy. At Daytona College, when you graduate from one of our medical assisting programs, you’ll qualify for the Phlebotomy Technician Certification (CPT) exam through the National Healthcare Association.
EKG Technician
EKG technicians administer electrocardiograms (EKGs), a cardiovascular test which involves attaching wires to a patient’s body to monitor the electrical activity of the heart. EKG techs administer the test, monitor the readings and report test results. Graduates from Daytona College’s medical assisting programs qualify for the EKG Technician Certification (CET) exam through the National Healthcare Association, so you’ll be ready for this specialized career.
Specialized Medical Assistants
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, some medical assistants can work in a specialty care physician office. For instance, as a specialized medical assistant you can become a podiatric medical assistant working alongside podiatrist making castings, developing x-rays and assisting the podiatrists with administrative tasks. Having a degree in medical assisting can give candidates a competitive advantage.
If you’re interested in a career as a medical assistant, or using your training as a medical assistant as a stepping stone for other healthcare careers like these, Daytona College can help. We offer a 70-week online Associate of Science Degree in Medical Assisting and a 40-week Diploma program (online or hybrid) that will prepare you for a healthcare career. To learn more, visit our website, contact us, or give us a call at (866) 560-5499.