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Career Colleges    » Washington    » Health, Medical, and Nursing     » Medical Assistant

Washington Medical Assistant Degrees

Medical Assistant Degrees: Washington Colleges

Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Washington offering Medical Assistant degrees. Medical and Dental Assistants work in hospitals, doctors offices, dental offices and clinics to ensure the best care for patients.

Studies have shown that Washington college graduates have a much larger earning potential than non-graduates. Attending a college or university in Washington and earning a degree is an investment in your future, and you need to think about a college education in those terms to justify the expense for a degree.

Washington Colleges: Medical Assistant Degrees

If you are thinking of training for a new career, then why not enroll in a college program to train as a Medical Assistant? The Bureau of Labor estimates that this is the fastest growing career between 2002 and 2012 so opportunities should be plentiful, especially if you have a college education and certification. Many people have learned ?on the job' in the past; however, employers are increasingly looking for individuals who can land running'.

As a Medical Assistant you would perform routine clinical and administrative tasks to ensure the smooth running of the Physician's office; freeing up the Physician's, Chiropractor's, Podiatrist's or Health Practitioner's time which can be spent on duties requiring higher clinical expertise. You may find that in smaller clinics, with fewer personnel, your range of duties and responsibilities will be greater than those in larger clinics or hospitals.

Your day-to-day tasks may include filing, billing, greeting patients, making appointments, completing insurance claims or arranging laboratory tests. The level of clinical duties you may be allowed to perform varies between States according to State law. You may be required to take medical histories, explain treatment procedures, or take vital signs such as blood pressures. Other duties may include carrying out basic laboratory tests onsite or arranging for these to be sent to a specialist unit. You may also be required to decontaminate and sterilize equipment or dispose of contaminated supplies.

Your education will generally last about 1 year for certification or 2 years for an associate's degree. You may learn about subjects such as anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, transcription, book keeping, and insurance processing.

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