The medical assisting curriculum prepares a multi-skilled student to function in clinical and administrative areas of the physician's medical office. Medical assistants work under the supervision of a physician and are competent in both administrative and clinical procedures.
The medical assistant must have good communication skills, like people, want work variety, be accurate in work performance and be able to be trusted with confidential information. Medical assisting is an exciting and rapidly expanding health care profession.
Graduates in this field may be required to:
Administrative duties:
scheduling and receiving patients
preparing and maintaining medical records
transcribing medical dictations
handling telephone calls
performing basic clerical functions
managing medical practice finances
practicing safety and infection control
obtaining patient histories and vital signs
performing first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
preparing patients for procedures
assisting the physician with examinations and treatments
collecting and processing specimens
performing selected diagnostic tests
administering medication/immunizations
Graduates in this field commonly experience:
work in physicians' offices or clinics
work under direct supervision
work under stress and emergency conditions
meet deadlines
primarily work day time hours from Monday through Friday
no weekend or holiday work required
computer and typing skills needed
active (much walking, standing) -- all day
lifting (up to 50 lbs)
manual dexterity
excellent vision/hearing
hand/eye coordination, accurate swift movements
computer work
Graduates in this field should have:
ability to follow directions accurately/ability to "catch on" quickly/detail oriented
ability to handle repetitive work
ability to handle stress
ability to work well with numbers/symbols
good written and verbal communication skills
ability to work well with people from diverse populations
flexibility; ability to change from task to task without losing patience and efficiency
ability to handle more than one task at a time
ability to work with equipment
ability to do paperwork - proofread accurately
good hand/eye coordination, manual/finger dexterity, accurate and swift movements
good social skills
"people person"
self-discipline
team player
honest/trustworthy
Employment statistics for 2009-2011 PTC graduates, who found jobs in this field, are as follows:
salary average: $20,662.50 per year
salary range: $12,500 - 26,000 per year
77% placement rate
good availability of positions
employment in cities and towns of all sizes
advancement possible
Recent graduates have found work at:
Carolina Medical Weight Management
Cecil Y. Brown, MD Family Practice
Dr. Cecil Brown
Dr. McGinnis
Family Physicians of Greenwood
Greenwood Internal Medicine
Newberry Family Health Care
Savannah Lakes Medical Center