Is the Medical Assistant Career Still
Hot?
You bet it is! The U.S. Census Bureau
emphasizes that our current market trends and cost control in health care have made medical assisting and related
occupations some of the hottest careers in today's job market. Doctors have realized the value a medical assistant
brings to their practice and the community, and always readily hire them to fill various positions in their office.
Soon, there will be a medical assistant for every doctor and specialist in the medical field, and
eventually even assistants for assistants.
How Many Are Working In Health
Care?
Over 2 million people are employed as allied health professionals in the United States. With
vocational training so readily available, salaries climbing (yes, they are!), and working conditions improving the
demand for medical assistants is on the rise. It is a good time to enter into this exciting career in all
disciplines (clinical and administrative areas).
What Are the Reasons For this High
Demand?
Medical care, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical services play an important role in our nation's
economy and welfare. Driven by the ever increasing need for health care services opportunities in health care
related disciplines abound wherever there are people. There is plenty of room for men and women in health and
medical service related careers from major cities to rural areas, as long as they have at least a high school
diploma and the drive to achieve their dreams, and medical office managers and recruiters are ready to hire them.
Employment is not limited by location, gender, race, religion, or even disability. Recruiters and employers
everywhere are in constant need for more, and better qualified staff to serve patients and clients; this includes
medical assistants, whose job it is to make sure that health care providers can fully focus their time on their
work directly with patients.
Predicted Outlook
Medical assisting is an interesting and rewarding occupation. It is projected to be one of
the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 period. It is predicted that about 6 out of 10 will work in
offices of physicians; about 14 percent will work in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and
outpatient facilities; and 11 percent will work in offices of other health practitioners, such as
chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. The rest will mostly work in outpatient care centers,
public and private educational services, other ambulatory health care services, State and local government
agencies, and a few in medical and diagnostic laboratories.
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