Should I Become a Medical Assistant?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical Assistants are one of the fastest growing professions. It is expected to experience a 35% growth by the year 2016. There are several good reasons why this industry is still growing despite current economic conditions.

First of all, the health industry is extremely large and diverse. Each different specialized area of the industry has a specific need for medical assistants. Examples of these areas are specialized types of doctors' offices, insurance offices, hospitals, clinics, government agencies, etc.

Additionally, due to the current economic conditions businesses are always searching for places to lower overhead costs as much as possible. So, some procedures that were once performed by physicians, nurses and other higher trained healthcare professionals are now being done by less medical assistants. This is because the medical assistants cost the business less. This results in an increase in demand for qualified medical assistants.

Another reason why the industry is growing is baby boomers are getting older. Obviously, as people age their need for healthcare rises. Currently, baby boomers comprise approximately 20-30% of the United States population and the number of people in the U.S. who are 65 and older is expected to double in the next 25 years. This increase in age of the US population means an increase in demand for healthcare services.

The huge amount of businesses that use medical assistants, the increasing need for businesses to lower overhead costs, and the increasing demand in healthcare needs are just a few reasons why the medical assistant industry is booming. As the laws of supply and demand dictate, as the demand for medical assistants increase, so does competition among them. You may consider becoming certified to give you a competitive edge over other medical assistants.

First and foremost, the best edge you can give yourself if considering this career path is to decide if you have a desire to help people. A good medical assistant is compassionate for patients and helps the patient feel comfortable. If you are a compassionate person and enjoy helping others, you will be more likely to enjoy your job. Those who enjoy their job may have better job performance and career longevity.

So if you have the desire to be a part of the growing health industry, becoming a medical assistant is a great opportunity. Many nurse's and other health care professional's start out as medical assistants while completing their training programs.


Read here to know how to build certified medical assistant career Everything you should know about medical assistant training