Medical assistants are incredibly vital for the success of a medical practice, whether they work in a doctor’s office, clinic, or specialty office. They complete a variety of different tasks, from doing lab work and checking patients’ vitals to greeting patients and completing administrative duties.
The great thing about being a medical assistant is that you have the power to choose your own work environment. Many of our graduates at Bryan University choose to work at a doctor’s office or a clinic, but the choice is up to you.
There are many other alternative work environments for medical assistants, but here’s a quick overview of what it would be like to work at a doctor’s office or a clinic and how they compare.
Working at a Doctor’s Office
As a medical assistant at a doctor’s office, you’ll probably work with a smaller group of medical professionals than you would in a clinic setting. Staffers you’ll work with include the doctor, other medical assistants, a lab technician, receptionist, nurses, and an office manager (or someone similar).
Since a doctor’s office is likely a smaller setting, you and other members of the staff will probably be cross-trained to handle a variety of different tasks and pick up the slack when things get busy. As a result, your work will be more individualized and you may not have the opportunity to advance into several different roles unless you switch to a new practice or a larger clinic.
Working at a Clinic
If you work at a clinic, you’ll likely be expected to take on some or all of the office tasks. In a larger clinic setting, you’ll probably have a specialized function and may end up taking on tasks that make you more of a nursing assistant.
This can stretch you, but will also allow you the opportunity to become skilled in many areas. As you develop diversified skills, you raise the bar in terms of furthering your career in a more competitive environment.
At a larger office or clinic, you can also expect to work with a diverse group of people who have various types of expertise, medical experience, and backgrounds. This is also good news for you because it means you’ll have more opportunities to learn different skills or become well-trained in very specific functions, like taking electrocardiograms, providing wound care, or phlebotomies.
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Explore Your Career Options With Bryan University
At Bryan University, we can help you explore these options and find the right fit for your goals and passions. Through our School of Allied Health, you can become a part of today’s healthcare industry with our Medical Assistant Diploma or AAS. Please call us toll-free at 1-855-862-0755 or enroll online to get started.