If you are in school earning a bachelor’s degree, finding a well-paying job that can help you get through school isn’t always easy. Certified medical assistant jobs can be a good fit for students looking for flexible work that pays well and allows them to gain clinical experience. Ready to get started? Here are the places where Certified Clinical Medical Assistants often work.
Doctors’ Offices and Medical Clinics
The majority of medical assistants work in doctors’ offices or medical clinics. These professionals assist doctors in taking vital signs and recording medical records for patients. They may specialize in a field such as cardiology or geriatrics, or they may have a general practice focus.
Private Practice Medical Assisting
In private practice, medical assistants frequently encounter familiar faces, as patients regularly return for ongoing care year after year. This role seamlessly blends patient care with administrative duties, offering a diverse and engaging work experience.
Specialty Medical Assisting
Getting trained in a specific specialty can open the door to more certified medical assistant jobs. Some high-paid specialties include:
- Podiatry
- Ophthalmology
- Fertility
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
These medical assistants focus on helping doctors in these specific fields, and they have additional training in their specialty areas to help them do their jobs well.
Clinical Setting Medical Assisting
In a clinical setting, you may work with a team of doctors rather than one specific doctor. You may also have fewer return or repeat patients. If you picture yourself working in a community-oriented environment but do not value seeing the same patients day in and day out, this could be a good choice.
Hospitals
The second most common place for a medical assistant to work is in a hospital. Hospitals need medical assistants 24/7, as patients need round-the-clock care, so this could be a good field for you if you want flexibility in your scheduling. Like working in a clinic, hospital work requires both administrative and clinical work. You also will need to be able to pivot quickly when emergencies arise.
Outpatient Care Centers
Outpatient care centers are places where patients go for surgical and other medical procedures that do not require an overnight stay. These centers may also provide lab tests and psychiatric care. Like other medical facilities, they require certified medical assistants to keep things running smoothly.
This area may require working on the weekend, but it typically involves fewer high-stress situations compared to hospital settings. If you’re drawn to the medical field but prefer a more balanced workload, outpatient care centers offer a rewarding and potentially less stressful career path.
Medical Research Centers
Medical research centers perform medical research and clinical trials. This requires a large amount of documentation to ensure all aspects of the trial are properly documented. Medical assistants can help with this. In addition, medical assistants may collect samples and prepare those samples for further testing. They may need to administer medical tests. This role requires quite a bit of administration as well.
Although specialized and smaller in scale compared to other healthcare settings, research offers a unique and highly sought-after career avenue for medical assistants. Every new medical treatment and medication requires clinical trials, creating a constant demand for skilled professionals. If you’re passionate about contributing to the advancement of medicine and bringing new therapies to the public, research could be the perfect fit for you.
Insurance Companies
If you are looking for remote medical assistant jobs to give you the flexibility to keep working on your education, working with insurance companies may be the right choice. This particular role is best for medical assistants who excel in administrative tasks. You will need to analyze medical records and hospital admissions documentation to ensure it lines up with the insurance policy’s coverage.
Part-Time Medical Assistant Jobs
Many of these areas offer both full-time and part-time job options. For example, you may be able to find part-time work in a hospital, and medical research centers may only need help while clinical trials are happening. Doctor’s offices are more likely to need full-time people, as they see patients daily.
How to Choose the Right Medical Assistant Job
As you continue your job search, take the time to start thinking about where you might like to work. Specifically, during this season of working and going to school, what type of job would give you the income and flexibility you need? Weigh questions such as:
- Do you want full-time or part-time medical assistant jobs?
- Do you need the flexibility of remote medical assistant jobs?
- Do you want to work with the same patients or a changing pool of patients?
- Are you passionate about medical research?
By answering these questions, you can fine-tune your search to find the right role.
Certified Medical Assistant Job Eligibility
If you haven’t already earned your certification, completing a medical assistant certification program is required to be eligible for these positions. Advanced eClinical Training’s online medical certification programs help you prepare to take the NHA CCMA exam and become an internationally recognized CCMA in a matter of weeks. Enroll now to begin your career in the medical field with Advanced eClinical Training.
