If you are passionate about healthcare and looking for an extra source of income, flexible working hours that suit your preferences, or maintaining a balance between career and other commitments, part-time Medical Assistant jobs offer a range of options to meet your needs.
Who is a Medical Assistant?
A medical assistant is a healthcare professional who helps doctors in clinics and medical offices, or hospitals. They are responsible for performing various tasks, including administrative and medical help.
For instance, they ensure the work of doctors is streamlined, and the patient is being taken care of; they are responsible for reporting vital signs such as blood pressure and temperature and checking the height and weight of patients, noting symptoms and health concerns, and passing all this information on to the doctor.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The roles and responsibilities of a medical assistant vary from managing administrative tasks to clinical duties.
Administrative Duties
- Scheduling and managing appointments
- Answering phone calls and responding to inquiries
- Maintaining and updating patient records
- Handlining communication through emails and fax
- Maintaining accurate insurance documentation and assisting with billing and coding procedure
- Managing stocking and pharmaceutical equipment and placing orders as required
Medical Duties
- Taking vital signs of the patient such as blood pressure, temperature, and pulse
- Assisting patients with examination and providing necessary guidelines and supplies
- Collecting blood/stool/urine samples from patients and preparing them for laboratory tests
- Performing basic laboratory tests such as drawing blood and performing electrocardiograms (ECGs)
- Discussing prescriptions and explaining dietary changes to patients
- Maintenance of medical instruments ensuring proper functionality and sterilization.
Top Part time Medical Assistant Jobs
Here is a list of part-time medical assistant jobs:
- Clinical medical assistance: Clinical medical assistants work closely with doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. They work in clinics, hospitals, or medical offices.
- Administrative medical assistance: Administrative medical assistants mostly do desk jobs covering administrative jobs such as scheduling meetings, filling out patient insurance details, and medical billing.
- Specialized medical assistants: These individuals are certified assistants with expertise in a particular area of the medical field. Some of the specialized medical assistant jobs include:
- Other jobs include Obstetrics medical assistant, Podiatric medical assistant and Chiropractic medical assistant.
Average salary per hour for a medical assistant: A medical assistant job in the USA averages $18.5 per hour.
Skills Required for Medical Assistant Jobs
- Clinical skills: Clinical skills include knowledge of primary clinical procedures and performing tasks like noting vital signs of the patient, collecting specimens, performing laboratory tests, assisting in medical procedures, and knowledge of infection control protocols.
- Communication skills: Strong communication skills are crucial for medical assistants’ jobs to interact effectively and compassionately with patients. They also need excellent listening skills to understand, convey and record correct patient information.
- Organizational skills: Medical assistants should be able to multitask, stay organized, manage appointments, and assist in patient care simultaneously.
- Technical skills: They should have expertise in operating medical instruments and be comfortable using electronic health records (EHR) and managing medical billing systems.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Medical Specialties
Podiatry Medical Assistant
Average salary: $20.18 per hour
A podiatry medical assistant works closely with a podiatrist (a foot doctor). Along with the regular duties of a medical assistant, they assist doctors in bedside procedures, applying casts and creams, and caring for patients’ toenails.
Ophthalmic Medical Assistant
Average salary: $20.78 per hour
An ophthalmic medical assistant helps ophthalmologists and optometrists. Along with regular medical assistant tasks, their responsibilities include checking patients’ vision, verifying prescription glasses, and performing pre-testing.
Fertility Medical Assistant
Average salary: $18 per hour
They are called OB-GYN medical assistants, which stands for obstetric and gynecology. Their duties include assisting with procedures like pap smears, IUD insertion, and examination.
Cardiology Medical Assistant
Average salary: $18-$20 per hour
Cardiology Medical Assistant works closely with cardiologists. Their duties include preparing patients for examination, recording vitals, and performing ECGs.
Dermatology Medical Assistant
Average salary: $18-$25 per hour
A Dermatology Medical Assistant assists dermatologists in caring for patients’ skin health. They help with dermatology procedures and in applying creams and ointments.
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How to Apply for Part-time Medical Assistant Jobs
Here are a few steps to improve your chances of securing a part time medical assistant job.
- Updated profile: Keep your resume updated, highlighting relevant skills, education, and experiences, including any certificate, internship, or volunteer work showing your field experience.
- Cover letter: Write a compelling cover letter expressing your interest in the job and highlighting your suitability. Highlight skills and experiences that align with the job requirement.
- Networking and job search: Explore hospital websites, healthcare clinics, and online platforms that offer part-time medical assistant jobs. Network in your community and look for local healthcare organizations hiring medical assistants.
- Prepare for Interview: Prepare for common questions related to medical assistance. Research the organization before your interview and learn about its values and services. Dress professionally and arrive on time and have your documents ready beforehand.
- Look for an externship or internship: If you are a recent graduate or a student, look for internship or externship opportunities to gain hands-on experience that may lead to part time medical assistant jobs within the same organization.
Also Know About: Part-Time Bookkeeping Jobs
Conclusion
In a nutshell, a medical assistant is an individual that not only manages administrative work for a clinic or a hospital but also helps doctors with medical procedures; they are the ones responsible for maintaining the inventory of the hospital with adequate supplies and treating patients with compassion. With the right approach and skillset, you can apply for a range of part time medical assistant jobs.
