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Medical Assistance Essays

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How to Become a Medical Assistant

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• What Is a CMA
• Steps to Become
• Education Options
• Certification Options

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Medical assistants are the first to help patients in medical clinics and offices. They assist patients, nurse practitioners, nurses, and physicians by providing care and ensuring the facility runs smoothly. Individuals looking for careers that blend patient care and administrative duties can use this in-depth guide to learn how to become a medical assistant.

How Long to Become: 1-2 years

Degree Required: Medical Assistant Program Certificate or Diploma

Job Outlook: 16% growth from 2021-2031 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

What Is a Certified Medical Assistant?

Certified medical assistants are key members of the healthcare team. They are multi-skilled healthcare professionals who typically work in outpatient settings, such as clinics, medical offices, and outpatient surgical centers.

After learning to become a medical assistant, you are expected to be adept at administrative and clinical responsibilities , such as updating medical records, coordinating admissions, monitoring patient conditions, and assisting nurse practitioners or physicians during exams.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

Medical assistants handle clinical and administrative duties that are crucial to providing quality patient care in outpatient settings. The following list includes some of the most commonly required tasks, but these activities may vary based on the care setting.

Administrative Duties

• Greeting and checking patients in
• Updating patients’ electronic health records (EHR)
• Scheduling appointments
• Arranging hospital admissions and lab tests
• Filling out insurance paperwork

Clinical Duties

• Measuring vital signs and recording medical histories
• Drawing blood for lab tests
• Explaining treatment procedures
• Assisting providers with examinations, procedures, and minor surgery
• Removing stitches and dressing wounds

What Skills Do You Need to Become a Medical Assistant?

Medical assistants learn hard skills during their programs, which they need to perform administrative and patient care duties. However, crucial soft skills are often acquired before enrolling in a medical assistant program. Consider the following:

Hard Skills

• Medical billing and coding
• Medical terminology
• Keyboarding and computer applications
• Clinical assessment and diagnostic skills
• First aid and wound care

Soft Skills

• Written communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Analytical skills

Featured Online Healthcare Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Steps to Become a Certified Medical Assistant

To become a medical assistant, you must earn a high school diploma or its equivalent. Next, graduate from an accredited program and apply for certification. You may also advance your career through specialization and further education.

Education and certification requirements vary by state and employer. Even if your state doesn’t require certification, most organizations prefer to hire certified medical assistants, which assures your employer you have the ability and knowledge to perform the necessary duties.

Earn a high school diploma or equivalent.

A high school diploma is the minimum education requirement to work as a medical assistant. High school classes in math and science can help you succeed in your medical assistant certification .

Graduate from an accredited medical assistant program.

During your accredited medical assistant program, you develop administrative and clinical skills. On the path to becoming a medical assistant , coursework covers the basics of anatomy and physiology, along with CPR certification. You also receive coursework on the cardiovascular system and learn how to perform an electrocardiogram (EKG).

Students learn in-class skills in medical record handling, appointment setting, scheduling, and the basics of medical billing. This includes the various types of insurance plans and companies, how to prepare a superbill, and how to use diagnosis and procedure codes.

Medical assistants may also handle business management for private practices, and most programs include a basic education in management. This includes hiring practices, disciplinary issues, managing people with different personalities, and medical risk management.

Apply for medical assistant certification.

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits medical assistant certification organizations. There are five certification options for medical assistants based on eligibility and clinical care vs. administrative focus. Aspiring professionals typically pursue certification of medical assistant (CMA) credentials through the American Association of Medical Assistants .

Pass the CMA (AAMA) exam.

The CMA exam includes 200 multiple-choice questions over four 40-minute test periods. Consider taking a review course and practice exams to improve your chances of passing the CMA exam .

Find employment.

Medical assistants typically work in outpatient settings but can often find employment in clinics, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and laboratories. Some medical assistant programs work with local employers to help place students in roles within the facilities.

Consider enrolling in an externship program or volunteering to get additional experience, which can boost your chances of finding a job. Medical assistants may also search online job boards for jobs within private clinics, laboratories, and research centers. Many hospitals maintain lists of open positions on their websites.

Advance Your Career With Continued Education

Medical assistants work in entry-level positions within healthcare but can specialize their work and advance their careers. Certification as a clinical or administrative medical assistant demonstrates your advanced knowledge and skills in these areas.

Within clinical practice, medical assistants can specialize in cardiology, family practice, geriatrics, and ophthalmology, among other areas. They may also consider continuing their education in other healthcare subjects.

Some assistants pursue nursing education with associate degrees in nursing (ADNs) or bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs. ADN-prepared nurses can advance to BSN degrees through RN-to-BSN bridge programs , which are often available completely online. Other options include:

• Office management
• Physician Assistant
• Program management
• Phlebotomy technician
• Surgical technician
• EKG technician

Certified Medical Assistant Schooling

Candidates typically follow two paths to medical assistant certification: a CMA certificate or an associate degree in medical assisting. You may graduate from an accredited program for medical assistants or earn an accredited associate degree.

A medical assistant program takes 9-12 months to complete, while associate degrees take two years and offer a stepping stone to BSN programs.

Certificate Program

A certificate program is an entry-level education pathway on your journey to becoming a medical assistant. The program suits individuals who need to begin working quickly, with most coursework available online . Graduates from accredited programs meet all the necessary requirements to pursue entry-level positions.

Admission Requirements

Program curriculum, time to complete, credits earned, skills learned, associate degree program.

Associate degrees are best suited for medical assistants looking to advance their careers and ultimately complete bachelor’s degrees. The program takes at least two years of full-time enrollment to cover general education classes and medical assistant program requirements.

Medical Assistant Certification

Medical assistant certification demonstrates your knowledge, skills, and career commitment to potential employers. Most healthcare companies prefer medical assistants who have graduated from accredited programs and hold certification from one of the five certifying organizations listed below. Each of the certifications has a slightly different focus and requirements.

Generally, each organization requires you to have completed an accredited program and supervised work experience. Choose your certification carefully, as it demonstrates your medical assistant expertise. You can also pursue multiple certifications.

• Certified Medical Assistant (American Association of Medical Assistants): This is the most common certification for new medical assistants to earn before specializing in clinical care or administrative duties.
• Registered Medical Assistant (American Medical Technologists): Candidates must be employed for at least three of the last seven years to qualify. The general national certification is recognized by most states.
• National Certified Medical Assistant (National Center for Competency Testing): Candidates qualify for the exam if they have graduated from accredited programs or possess two years of physician-supervised, full-time work experience.
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (National Healthcareer Association): This certification demonstrates a specialized focus on clinical care, including vital signs, medications, EKGs, and phlebotomy.
• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (National Healthcareer Association): Certified medical assistants specialize in administrative duties, including operating computer systems, answering correspondence, coordinating operation reports, and scheduling appointments.

Working as a Certified Medical Assistant

After graduating and becoming certified to practice, a medical assistant may find employment in their local community through networking. They can also explore online job boards for outpatient clinics and physicians’ offices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a median annual salary of $42,000 for medical assistants as of May 2023. Discover more about medical assistant salaries and how they vary based on location and setting.

Finding a Job as a Certified Medical Assistant

The medical assistant field continues to grow quickly. BLS projections indicate a 16% job growth rate from 2022-2032, far outpacing the projected growth rate for all occupations.

Medical assistants can highlight the skills they learned in their programs, externships, and employment to stand out in the job market. If you desire a job focusing on clinical care, consider taking a short volunteer position or externship to develop experience and request a professional letter of recommendation.

Common Work Settings for Medical Assistants

The role of the medical assistant may also vary depending on the setting. According to the BLS, three of the most common workplace settings are:

• Outpatient Centers: Medical assistants may measure vital signs, take medical histories and personal information, help providers with examinations, and schedule appointments in this setting.
• Physicians’ Offices: In physicians’ offices, the professionals may give patients injections as permitted by state law, draw blood, take throat swabs, and enter EHRs.
• Hospitals: Medical assistants in hospitals may schedule appointments, update treatments, assist physicians with minor procedures, and track accurate medical information.

Frequently Asked Questions about Becoming a Medical Assistant

What is the difference between a cma and a certified nursing assistant (cna).

A CNA is sometimes called a nurse’s aide and works directly under the supervision of a nurse, performing duties such as taking vital signs, changing bed linens, or helping patients to the bathroom. Certified medical aides (CMAs) perform administrative and clinical duties, including billing, scheduling, and operating computer software.

How long does it take to become a medical assistant?

You can become a medical assistant in nine months by completing a certificate program or two years by completing an associate degree. A certificate program allows you to start work more quickly, but an associate degree offers a stronger foundation for advancing your education.

What skills are important for medical assistants?

Medical assistants must have good clinical, communication, and organizational skills. They must possess empathy for their patients and attention to detail in clinical care and administrative duties.

What types of questions are included on the CMA exam?

The exam’s 200 multiple-choice questions cover psychology, communication, professionalism, and medical terminology, along with medical ethics, medical law, and risk management. Administrative questions address medical reception, patient advocacy, business practices, finances, and medical records. Clinical topics include anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, patient procedures, nutrition, and first aid.

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Page last reviewed September 8, 2023

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Medical Assistance Programs and Increased Spending Essay

Executive summary, possible solutions, works cited.

This report provides an analysis of current issues related to medical assistance programs. Attention is mostly devoted to factors that have led to an increase in spending. Scholarly sources will be examined to collect the data on this subject matter. A set of recommendations that should be considered by policymakers will also be provided. All of the findings will be summarized in the final section of the paper.

One of the core factors that lead to an increase in Medicaid spending is caused by changes in policy. The Affordable Care Act has had an enormous influence in this case, and the number of enrollees has increased dramatically. It is possible to identify a particular connection with the approach that has been utilized in China. The government has recognized that individuals that are most vulnerable cannot gain access to necessary services, and have tried to remove barriers that were present (Wagstaff, Lindelow, Wang, and Zhang 38). However, the initiative has led to many complications in the United States.

Researchers found that expenses have grown by eighteen percent in the states that expanded, and only by six percent in the rest (Galewitz par. 2). This difference is quite significant and should be acknowledged. It would be reasonable to examine enrollment and spending data to get a better understanding of the issue. It is possible to state that the figures seem reasonable, but the number of enrollees is quite intriguing (“Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid” par. 3). Close to fifty percent of them are children, and only eight percent are elderly (see Table 1).

Table 1. Medicaid enrollment and spending in 2012.

The data is quite outdated, but should be analyzed when developing a strategy that would help to decrease budget shortages. The government has to provide full support for individuals that enrolled recently throughout the whole year, according to the health law. However, close to ten percent of the costs have to be picked up by the states. The process is rather gradual, but the impact on the budget is enormous (see fig. 1).

It should be noted that such changes are hard to predict because of numerous economic and political factors. Moreover, the situation is likely to be complicated by the presidential election in 2016, and changes in the policies could be enormous. Another factor that has led to an increase in spending is online insurance. The process became much easier, and eligible individuals could enroll without having to worry about difficulties they had to deal with previously (Galewitz par. 9).

Pratt is a certified professional and is quite experienced in this area. She suggests that it would be beneficial to consider a replacement for Medicaid because the program has numerous issues that are hard to resolve (Pratt 12). This approach may be viewed as questionable, but should be taken into consideration because some of the ideas suggested are quite comprehensive. Changes to the expansion should also be considered because the increase in expenses associated with this initiative has been dramatic. Markel, Sauer, and Blasier state that the introduction of additional taxes may be helpful, but the situation will not be improved until the causes of budget shortfalls are addressed (261).

In summary, it is an enormous issue that should not be overlooked because spending is growing at rapid rates, and a financial crisis may follow because the current debt is tremendous, and it could damage the economy in the long-term. The introduction of new policies and an increase in enrollment that followed were determined as the primary causes of the problem. It is quite evident that approaches need to be changed at this point, and it is possible to resolve the situation that has occurred if necessary measures are taken.

“Causes of Enrollment and Spending Growth” n.d. Web.

Galewitz, Phil. “ Medicaid Spending Soars – Mostly In Expansion States. ” Kaiser Health News . Kaiser Family Foundation. 2015. Web.

Markel, David C., Peter J. Sauer, and Ralph B. Blasier. “Is a Physician “Provider Tax” the Solution to Michigan’s Medicaid Woes?” HSS Journal: The Musculoskeletal Journal of Hospital for Special Surgery 9.3 (2013): 257-263. Print.

Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid 2015. Web.

Pratt, Lindsay L. Let’s Fix Medicare, Replace Medicaid, and Repealthe affordable Care Act: Here is Why and How . Sun City Center, FL: Author House, 2012. Print.

Wagstaff, Adam, Magnus Lindelow, Shiyong Wang, and Shuo Zhang. Reforming China’s Rural Health System . Washington, DC: World Bank Publications, 2009. Print.

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Medical Assistant Professional Goals

Getting started as a medical assistant.

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Log your goals and career aspirations on an ongoing basis to keep career groth front of mind with Teal.

Why Every Medical Assistant Should Have Goals

Different types of career goals for medical assistants, clinical proficiency goals, administrative excellence goals, communication and patient relations goals, professional development and advancement goals, networking and community involvement goals, what makes a good career goal for a medical assistant , career goal criteria for medical assistants, patient-centered focus.

• Enhance Patient Communication Skills
• Develop Proficiency in EHR Systems
• Implement Patient Care Innovations

Technical Proficiency and Certification

• Obtain Relevant Certifications
• Master Clinical Procedures
• Stay Informed on Healthcare Tech

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Master Patient Rapport
• Enhance Team Communication
• Develop Empathy & Listening

Efficiency and Process Improvement

• Implement Time-Management Techniques
• Adopt Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• Enhance Patient Check-In Procedures

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12 Professional Goal Examples for Medical Assistants

Obtain certification in a specialized area, improve patient communication skills, master medical software proficiency, lead a health education workshop, enhance clinical skills, develop leadership qualities, achieve a higher level of education, focus on time management and efficiency, volunteer for community health initiatives, advocate for patient safety and quality care, cultivate a positive work environment, pursue a specialty practice, career goals for medical assistants at difference levels, setting career goals as an entry-level medical assistant, setting career goals as a mid-level medical assistant, setting career goals as a senior-level medical assistant, leverage feedback to refine your professional goals, utilizing constructive criticism to enhance clinical competence, incorporating patient feedback to improve care delivery, leveraging performance reviews for professional growth, goal faqs for medical assistants, how frequently should medical assistants revisit and adjust their professional goals, can professional goals for medical assistants include soft skill development, how do medical assistants balance long-term career goals with immediate project deadlines, how can medical assistants ensure their goals align with their company's vision and objectives.

What is a Medical Assistant?

More Professional Goals for Related Roles

Providing essential care, bridging the gap between doctors and patients in healthcare

Supporting healthcare teams, delivering patient care and administrative tasks efficiently

Providing compassionate care, assisting in patient recovery and maintaining health records

Providing compassionate care, bridging health professionals and patients' needs

Supporting oral health, assisting dentists in procedures, ensuring patient comfort

Navigating healthcare technology, ensuring accurate diagnostics for patient wellbeing

Medical assistant Essay Samples

We found 7 free papers on medical assistant, essay examples, role of a medical assistant.

Medical assistant

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Why I Chose to Become A Medical Assistant Research Paper

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The Company Of Interest

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A Physician’s Integrity Forms a Foundation

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It is important characteristic to have for anything an individual does, any job an individual applies for, and just anything in general. It is a concept that includes consistency in actions, expectations, measures, methods, outcomes, principles and values. Medical providers, specifically, are asked…

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Essays on Medical Assistance

23 samples on this topic

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The paper discusses the following codes of ethics.

Hippocratic Oath: The basic ethics of medical practice and moral code of conduct for doctors was set up by a Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates, which is known as the Hippocratic Oath. They are said to be core principles by General Medical Council (GMC). The Hippocratic Oath can be summarized as follows.

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Guest Essay

Medical Assistance in Dying Should Not Exclude Mental Illness

By Clancy Martin

Mr. Martin is professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Ashoka University in New Delhi, and the author of “How Not to Kill Yourself.”

My first attempt to kill myself was when I was a child. I tried again as a teenager; as an adult, I’ve attempted suicide repeatedly and in a variety of ways. And yet, as a 55-year-old white man (a member of one of the groups at the highest risk for suicide in America) and the happily married father of five children, I am thankful that I am incompetent at killing myself.

I believe that almost every suicide can be prevented, including my own, with access to good behavioral health systems . I have talked many, many people “off the ledge.”

I am a Canadian, where eligible adults have had the legal right to request medical assistance in dying (MAID) since June 2016. Acceptance of MAID has been spreading, and it is now legal in almost a dozen countries and 10 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. To my mind, this is moral progress: When a person is in unbearable physical agony, suffering from a terminal disease, and death is near, surely it is compassionate to help end the pain, if the person so chooses.

But a debate has arisen in Canada because the law was written to include those living with severe, incurable mental illness. This part of the law was meant to take effect this year but was recently postponed until 2024.

Many people who want to end their lives because of intense mental suffering find themselves grateful for their lives once the suicidal moment or attempt has passed. As Ken Baldwin, who survived a suicide attempt by leaping off the Golden Gate Bridge, famously remarked , “I instantly realized that everything in my life that I’d thought was unfixable was totally fixable — except for having just jumped.”

One might expect that as someone who has repeatedly attempted suicide and yet is happy to be alive, I am opposed to euthanasia on psychiatric grounds. But it is because of my intimacy with suicide that I believe people must have this right.

It’s true that policymakers, psychiatrists and medical ethicists must treat requests for euthanasia on psychiatric grounds with particular care, because we don’t understand mental illness as well as we do physical illness. However, the difficulty of understanding extreme psychological suffering is in fact a reason to endorse a prudent policy of assisted suicide for at least some psychiatric cases. When people are desperate for relief from torment that we do not understand well enough to effectively treat, giving them the right and the expert medical assistance to end that misery is caring for them.

Canada’s MAID law recognizes that people suffering from extreme depression, for example, may find no other means to end their agony. Approximately one-third of people coping with major depressive disorder have symptoms that do not reliably respond to available treatments. If you know there is no medically sanctioned way out of your mental pain, you may be likely to take matters into your own hands. Major depression is one of the psychiatric diagnoses most common to suicidal people, and approximately two-thirds of people who die by suicide are depressed at the time of their death. Yet any of us can commit suicide — and currently it is an epidemic.

A panel of experts has recommended safeguards and protocols for requests for aid in dying made by people with mental illness. Should MAID’s extension to those suffering acute mental pain follow the Canadian model, patients will be able to make their case to two health care practitioners, who must agree that their illness is “grievous and irremediable.” This is far preferable to the messy, difficult, terrifying job of trying to do it yourself. The suicidal person’s involvement in a behavioral health setting that can give a variety of kinds of help might result in rethinking the desire to die. Suicidal ideation can consume the lives of those who live with it. By interrupting or complicating the habitual patterns of chronic suicidal ideation, the prospect of relief through MAID could, paradoxically, ease the need for ending one’s own life.

As Dese’Rae L. Stage, a therapist and suicide-awareness advocate, told me, “This is one time that bureaucracy might actually save lives.” While the Canadian application for physician-assisted suicide is being reviewed, treatment and reflection can take place. Also, the knowledge that there is a way out may alleviate the terrifying claustrophobia so common to suicidal people like me and to people in acute suffering more generally. Pain can make anyone panic.

When people are granted the right to end their lives with medical help, they may opt not to use it. People should be granted the right to this assistance. It does not follow they will exercise that right.

I agree entirely with Andrew Solomon when he writes, “It is up to each man to set limits on his own tortures.” That is the compassionate wisdom informing every law permitting medical assistance in dying. If we are willing to help people end their physical suffering by assisting their death, can we in good conscience deny them that help for their mental suffering? As psychiatrists like Dr. Justine Dembo of the University of Toronto have argued, excluding mental suffering from MAID would “discriminate against individuals suffering intolerably from mental illness.”

Yes, we need wise regulation; we need expert advice; we need the best medical information: This is precisely why physicians who specialize in this must be involved, and Canada has these experts. Must Canada, and other countries with similar policies permitting MAID on psychiatric grounds, like Belgium and the Netherlands, continue to proceed with the utmost care, with the advice of appropriate behavioral health and ethical experts? Of course. Should we be especially cautious when it comes to cases involving anyone about whose informed consent we have concerns, such as minors or the disabled? Of course. But this is how any enlightened health care policy must proceed.

Suicidal people suffering from psychological torture should have the right to consult a medical expert about medical assistance in taking their own lives and be given that assistance if their need is justified. Having terrified or anguished people in acute mental suffering ending their pain by the many means available to them, often resulting not in death but in terrible physical injury, is much worse, and it’s happening every day.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Clancy Martin is professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Ashoka University in New Delhi. His latest book is “How Not to Kill Yourself.”

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Assisted Suicide — Medical Assistance In Dying In Canada

Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada

• Categories: Assisted Suicide Canada

About this sample

Words: 1046 |

Published: Jun 17, 2020

Words: 1046 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Ireland, K. J. (2016). A History of Assisted Suicide in Canada. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 5(3), 61-80.
• Schuklenk, U., Van Delden, J. J. M., Downie, J., McLean, S., Upshur, R., & Weinstock, D. (2017). Report of the Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel on End-of-Life Decision Making (November 2011). Bioethics, 31(3), 191-201.
• Griffiths, J., Weyers, H., Adams, M., & Steenkamp, M. (2008). Euthanasia and assisted suicide: a survey of attitudes in Switzerland. Swiss Medical Weekly, 138(23-24), 345-352.
• Thienpont, L., Verhofstadt, M., Van Loon, T., Distelmans, W., & Audenaert, K. (2015). Euthanasia requests, procedures and outcomes for 100 Belgian patients suffering from psychiatric disorders: a retrospective, descriptive study. BMJ open, 5(7), e007454.
• Ganzini, L., Goy, E. R., Dobscha, S. K., & Prigerson, H. (2009). Mental health outcomes of family members of Oregonians who request physician aid in dying. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 38(6), 807-815.
• Hendry, M., Pasterfield, D., Lewis, R., Carter, B., Hodgson, D., & Wilkinson, C. (2013). Why do we want the right to assisted suicide?. A qualitative study of the views of people with motor neurone disease. Palliative Medicine, 27(8), 747-754.
• Cohen-Almagor, R. (2016). Belgian euthanasia law: a critical analysis. Journal of Medical Ethics , 42(5), 323-327.
• Nilstun, T., Melltorp, G., & Hermerén, G. (2007). End-of-life decisions and the use of intensive care. The Lancet, 369(9565), 1949-1950.
• Braverman, B., Eysenbach, L. M., & Goldberger, J. (2018). Exploring Physician Attitudes Toward Medical Aid in Dying. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 21(3), 316-319.
• Battin, M. P. (2015). Physician-assisted death: What can we learn from the Dutch experience?. The Hastings Center Report, 45(4), 14-23.

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