Where Can a Medical Assistant Work?

Medical assistants have become vital healthcare team members, helping nurses, doctors, and specialists provide the best patient care possible. But while the majority of medical assistants work in physicians’ offices, that’s not the only place you can work as a medical assistant. You might work at a hospital, clinic, or nursing home. Or you could work at a rehabilitation facility, or even a correctional facility. Or maybe you have stellar skills in billing and coding and like the idea of working in an office environment at an insurance company. There are lots of options you can choose. Check out some of the expected and less-than-expected jobs you could have with medical assisting training.

Medical Assistants Work at Private Medical Practices

The most likely place for you to find work as a medical assistant is private medical practice. Whether a small, single-physician office or a specialized clinic with a team of doctors, these healthcare facilities might need you to perform a mix of administrative tasks, like scheduling appointments and managing patient records, along with clinical duties, such as taking vital signs and preparing patients for exams. Some specializations are dermatology, pediatrics, and orthopedics. You might like this kind of setting if you really want to get to know your patients and develop long-term relationships with them. Working in a private medical practice also means you’re likely to have a consistent schedule with 8-hour workdays.

Hospitals Employ Medical Assistants

If you’ve ever been to the hospital, you know it’s a busy place. As a medical assistant at a hospital, you can expect to enter a dynamic setting with lots to do. You could work in the emergency department or outpatient clinic. Or you might want to specialize and work the floor on units like obstetrics, oncology, or cardiology. Your responsibilities will depend on your department, but some tasks you might handle include patient intake and medical record maintenance. Or you may be called on to assist with minor procedures and direct patient care. Working in a hospital introduces you to a broad healthcare environment and exposes you to advanced medical technologies, methodologies, and procedures.

Medical Assistants at Urgent Care Clinics

With a surge in their popularity, urgent care facilities are also bustling health centers often open much later than doctors’ offices. Patients come in for immediate care when they’re faced with non-life-threatening sickness and injuries. As an urgent care MA, you’re likely to perform a mix of medical administrative tasks and clinical duties. And those clinical responsibilities may include dealing with patients experiencing acute symptoms. Some patients who really should head to an emergency room sometimes go to urgent care so it may be up to you to quickly call your team in for a proper assessment and transfer to a better equipped facility. Your responsibilities at an urgent care clinic would be similar to those you’d have in a hospital emergency room.

Nursing Homes and Assisted Care Facilities

Another employment option for you as a medical assistant might be working in a nursing home or long-term care facility. In this capacity, you support elderly or disabled patients, assisting with daily living activities and providing emotional support to residents and their families. Among your responsibilities might be to monitor vital signs, give patients their medications, and work with the healthcare team to make sure the residents have the best quality of life possible. A nursing home setting might be especially appealing if you enjoy working with the elderly and want to be well-appreciated by those under your care. Your schedule at these kinds of facilities can vary. There are opportunities for full-time, part-time, day and night shifts.

Laboratories and Diagnostic Centers

Your medical assistant skills might also take you to a lab or diagnostic center. Here, you are primarily responsible for collecting and processing lab specimens. You conduct patient intake, draw blood or collect samples, prepare specimens for analysis, and sterilize and maintain equipment and instruments. You may also assist providers with exams and support the healthcare staff with administrative tasks and patient information updates.

Medical Assistants in Correctional Health Services

Another population you could serve as a medical assistant are those who are incarcerated. Prison clinical services include a wide variety of medical, nursing, pharmacy, and mental health services. At a jail or prison, you might help with routine check-ups and emergencies and also perform blood draws, finger-sticks, specimen collection, and medication administration. You also help with clerical and healthcare duties. For some elderly inmates, you may need to assist with personal hygiene, mobility, and daily life activities. A prison environment can present significant challenges due to the patients’ situation and the facility restrictions, but you may also find reward in working with such a unique population.

Medical Assistants at Insurance Companies

Outside of a clinical setting you might put your medical billing and coding knowledge to work at an insurance company. In this role, you review and process medical claims, adding and deciphering the necessary codes. You work with patients and providers to verify coverage, prequalify treatments and procedures, enter patient data into electronic medical records, and perform routine administrative tasks. You may also interact with patients to explain their insurance coverage and help them understand their payment options when insurance doesn’t cover services. Among the benefits of working for an insurance company are the consistent hours if you work in an office, and the flexibility if you’re allowed to perform your job remotely.

Medical assisting can offer you a diverse range of career opportunities in healthcare settings. The key is to find what role you want to play and the work environment that aligns best with your preferences, skills, and career aspirations. Interested in exploring a medical assistant career? Lincoln Tech offers a Medical Assistant Training program that can you prepare you for an entry-level job in the healthcare industries a medical assistant. Fill out the form to learn more now.