There are many medical settings in which you can serve as
a medical assistant. Some settings will be in specialized
branches of medicine. It is important to gain an understanding
of the major areas of medicine, as well as the
various subspecialties, in order to choose and plan for the
type of setting in which you would like to work.
Learning about various allied health professionals'
such as pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and medical
transcriptionists'will help you interact with others on the
job. Learning about specialty career options'such as
physical therapy assistants, certified laboratory assistants,
and ophthalmic assistants'can give you ideas about integrating
new skills into your job as a multiskilled health
professional. Joining a professional organization will enable you to
stay informed about issues and activities in the medical assisting
field and the specialty or subspecialty in which you
work. Professional organizations also provide other benefits
to members, such as group health insurance; job
networking opportunities; state or chapter meetings, seminars,
workshops, and guest presentations; and member
discounts. Membership in a professional organization
helps you be recognized as a professional. Therefore, it is
an important addition to your résumé. |