Brains and Brawn

By SCMA On 23/02/2016  

Though providing quality customer care is the first concern of medical assistants, there are other attributes a good medical assistant must possess. Being fit and able is essential to helping patients but also comes in handy for the many physical requirements of this career.

Fit and Able

Though providing quality customer care is the first concern of medical assistants, there are other attributes a good medical assistant must possess. Being fit and able is essential to helping patients but also comes in handy for the many physical requirements of this career. For example, it helps to be spry and agile when climbing steps between floors in the hospital, reaching for files on a ladder, lifting copy paper boxes, or stooping to engage a young patient. Sometimes you might be called upon to walk with or lift a patient, push a wheelchair or move heavy medical equipment.

Quantifying Qualities

Another important skill you need to perform your daily duties is the ability to estimate and organize resources. You may be tasked with the job of ordering office materials, estimating times between appointments and distances for patients and physicians, judging the appropriate sizes of gown, needle or other medical examination item.

Software and Hardware Expertise

Lastly, an expert knowledge of office machinery and technologies is extremely vital to getting the job done right! Not only must medical assistants have a strong command of office equipment like computers, tablets, phone systems, laptops, printers, faxes and copiers, they must also be able to traverse the different software applications-scheduling, billing, EHRs, insurance to name a few -necessary to run a healthcare business in today's market. The crucial training you receive with specialty certification provides these tools and more to navigate the sometimes complicated job of medical assisting.