Medical assistants work alongside physicians to provide patient care that involves a wide range of services. During a typical day, medical assistants might measure vital signs, listen to patients’ concerns, and record doctors’ notes. They may also spend time doing clerical duties or relaying messages between doctors and their patients. Since medical assistants work with people in such a wide range of situations, it’s important for them to be patient, competent, and empathetic. The best medical assistants also possess skills within three specific categories that all come together to provide the ideal patient experience. Keep reading as the experts in medical Executive Recruitment from Advantage Recruiting Group explain each of these skill sets in detail.
1. Clinical Knowledge
Clinical skills include all the activities and procedures medical assistants perform during their interactions with patients. During their training, medical assistants learn how to administer first aid and perform CPR. Medical assistants also learn how to apply wound dressings, do blood draws, and remove sutures. Once medical assistants choose specific fields of health care, they’ll also learn skills that apply to their specific positions. For instance, a medical assistant may be trained in how to help a new mother during the postpartum recovery period.
2. Administrative Abilities
The number of administrative duties medical assistants perform depends on the specific facilities in which they work. For instance, some healthcare clinics hire administrative assistants to manage phone calls, while others may ask medical assistants to step in to schedule appointments and send billing reminders. Most medical assistants will need to be able to use healthcare software that manages patient records and other essential information.
3. Soft Skills
This skill set involves many abilities that aren’t always easy to measure. For example, a medical assistant needs to be good at communicating with patients. Medical assistants also need compassion and understanding, and they frequently must adapt to changing work environments.
While some skills, such as being a good listener, are innate, they can also be built upon. During their time in school, medical assistants learn how to practice active listening, which can reveal more about a patient’s health. Since medical assistants are often the first people to see patients, they must also have the ability to use critical thinking to assess situations and inform doctors of patients’ conditions and concerns.
Developing Essential Skills
The ideal medical assistant needs to fully develop all of these skill sets, and this can occur over the course of a career. Naturally, medical assistants begin their careers with formal education and training experiences that make it possible for them to earn the credentials they need to work within healthcare practices. Later, they often learn skills on the job through mentoring and practice.
Medical assistants also undergo continuing education training that helps them stay up to date on the latest research for managing their duties. If medical assistants decide to transfer to positions in different healthcare fields, they may also choose to expand their skill sets through new courses that pertain to their new roles.
Are you seeking dedicated healthcare professionals to join your team? Look no further! From medical assistants to nurse practitioners and occupational therapists, we can identify the best candidates to meet your Executive Recruitment needs. Contact Advantage Recruiting Group today to connect with passionate healthcare professionals ready to make a difference in your organization.
