Are you interested in becoming an essential worker and joining other medical assistants on the frontline of healthcare in Raleigh, NC? As George Washington stands guarding Raleigh’s downtown, join him and the medical revolution currently protecting the nation from this once in a century crisis.
Not only is there an immediate need, but getting a medical assistant diploma and becoming a medical assistant in North Carolina is seeing a long-term growth of 23% according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. That is one of the faster growing job opportunities in Raleigh, NC. Are you asking yourself, “What does a medical assistant do?â€
What Does a Medical Assistant Do?
Medical assistants are tasked with clinical and administrative responsibilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a medical assistant is responsible for call triage, managing staff calendars, greeting and escorting patients to exam rooms, taking vital signs, performing phlebotomy, assisting with procedures, managing infection control, educating patients, performing diagnostics like EKG, and preparing exam rooms.
- Manage calls and triage phone emergencies
- Greet patients in the waiting room
- Escort patients to exam rooms
- Record patient history and personal information
- Measure vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature
- Assist physicians with patient examinations
- Schedule patient appointments
- Prepare blood samples for laboratory tests through venipuncture
- Enter patient information into electronic health records (EHR)
- Abide by HIPAA Guidelines for confidentiality
- Educate patients on proper health and post procedure care
- Perform diagnostics like EKG and Holter Monitoring
- Prepare exam rooms and manage infection control
Why Become a Medical Assistant in Raleigh?
Medical assisting has been a time-honored profession. It’s a dynamic and respected career. Trained to handle many different clinical and clerical duties at Raleigh medical facilities, a medical assistant is part of a team of dedicated professionals working together for a cause, to bring top-quality healthcare to a community in need.
Job security, flexibility and room for advancement are some of the many benefits that becoming a medical assistant offers, but what makes it so attractive is that it’s personally gratifying. Medical assistants make a tangible difference in the lives of the community they serve. As Raleigh and the nation goes through a healthcare crisis, medical assistants are poised to help keep us moving forward.
Where Does a Medical Assistant Work in Raleigh, NC?
There are many different job opportunities in the Raleigh, NC area for medical assisting. Some of the current employers that are hiring include WakeMed, Duke Regional Hospital, Avance Care, Concentra, Advanced Community Health and UNC Health. The Research Triangle reports on Raleigh healthcare providers and the area is home to two of the nation’s top teaching and research hospitals, UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University.
WakeMed Health and Hospital – this facility has over 900 licensed beds and serves the Raleigh community directly and through satellite centers.
UNC Healthcare System – a not-for-profit health care system owned by the state of North Carolina.
Duke Medicine – operates three hospitals including Duke University Hospital, Durham Regional Healthcare and Duke Raleigh Hospital.
There are many other medical assistant’s jobs and phlebotomy opportunities in the Raleigh, NC area. These medical facilities include long term care, nursing homes, hospitals, doctor’s offices, blood draw laboratories, and area clinics. Although employment is not guaranteed after graduation, vocational school offer career services to allow healthcare employers in the Raleigh area to network with recent graduates. Career services also prepares graduates with resume services, mock interviews and alumni networking. Further, many of the instructors that teach at vocational colleges in the Raleigh area worked in area healthcare positions and have the knowledge to help graduates prepare for entry-level position. Attending a vocational school is a great way to prepare for the job market in Raleigh.
On the Front Lines of Raleigh’s Healthcare
Healthcare workers are staffing the front lines in Raleigh. They have a critical role in managing the current crisis and generally helping patients in the Raleigh community. According to the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, good healthcare is a reason for residence to move to this region. Raleigh and the surrounding area have the highest concentration of physicians and health care professionals, offering healthcare among the best in the world. This means great opportunities for entry-level medical assistants to join Raleigh’s healthcare providers. Duke University and UNC Medical Center are ranked among the top hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. And many of these Raleigh medical organizations are hiring new medical assistants that have graduated from a medical assistant program and passed the exam to become certified. “How does a medical assistant become certified,”you ask?
How Does a Medical Assistant Become Certified?
In order to get credentialed as a medical assistant, graduates of a medical assisting program at a local vocational school will take the North Carolina medical assistant certification exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the American Medical Technologists (AMT). Medical assistant programs prepare graduates to take the certification exam through lecture and hands-on training. Much of the training focuses on human anatomy, medical law, medical terminology, and medical office administration. Other training that a medical assistant program prepares graduates on includes medical coding, laboratory techniques, pharmacology and diagnostic procedures. Graduates receive hands-on experience in these tasks to prepare them for entry-level employment in the Raleigh area.
Final Thoughts
The Raleigh community is looking to welcome additional medical assistants to the front lines to join its many essential workers. You can start helping your fellow neighbors in as little as 12 months, attending full-time at your local vocational school. Classes are also available at night for those that have daily responsibility. Night medical assistant classes can be completed in 15 months. If you are ready to support Raleigh and its healthcare community, becoming a medical assistant may be the right career path for you. Your community needs you and there is no better time than now to become a medical assistant.
Are you ready to join the front lines and become an essential worker in Raleigh? Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical assisting courses to gain essential skills and training. The core curriculum focuses on the medical assisting skills and training you will need to seek entry-level employment in physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals, and other medical settings needing the services of associates trained in both front and back office medical assisting skills. These medical assisting courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.
Contact us to learn more about how you can become a medical assistant today.