Medical Assistant Diploma

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Take the first step toward a fulfilling career in healthcare.

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What Can I Do with a Diploma in Medical Assisting

Interested in what you can do with a Medical Assistant diploma? After completing a Medical Assistant diploma program, you will be ready to enter the work-force as a medical assistant, medical administrative office assistant, clinical assistant, clinical technician, medical office manager, assistant medical office manager, phlebotomist or physical therapy aid.

Our robust Medical Assistant program curriculum combines lectures with practical exercises in the medical and computer laboratories.

 

Medical Assistant

Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1, medical assistants typically do the following:

• Record patient history and health information
• Measure vital signs, take height and weight, and check blood pressure
• Help the physician with patient examinations
• Schedule patient appointments
• Prepare blood and urine samples for laboratory tests
• Enter patient information into medical records both on paper and electronically

Medical Administrative Office Assistant

Medical administrative office assistants perform clerical and administrative duties including organizing files, preparing documents, scheduling appointments and supporting other medical staff. The day-to-day tasks of a medical administrative office assistant include:

• Medical record management with Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• Answering telephones, managing calendars and scheduling appointments
• Processing mail both incoming and outgoing
• Managing insurance billing and claims
• Preparing correspondence to communicate health information to patients

Clinical Assistant

Clinical assistants are responsible for assisting clinical professionals with day-to-day clinical tasks in their organization. The clinical assistant may do basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They may instruct patients about medication or special diets, prepare patients for x rays, remove stitches, draw blood, or change dressings. The clinical assistant’s main functions include:

• Coordinating front desk responsibilities
• Maintaining proper documentation
• Keeping accurate supplies and inventory records
• Ordering new items as needed
• Completing routine clinical duties including drawing blood and taking temperatures
• Clean and maintain medical devices
• Providing clinical care, conducting exams, and collecting basic patient information
• Entering data into online systems, following regulations and ensuring accuracy
• Scheduling patients, rooms, and equipment

Med Assistant with Patient

Clinical Technician

According to PayScale2, the clinical technician is primarily responsible for the collection and analysis of bodily fluids and cells in order to search for infections within the body using sophisticated equipment, reporting their analyses to a physician. The clinical technician may work in clinics, hospitals, public health laboratories, biotechnical companies, pharmaceutical companies, chemical companies, law enforcement/forensics laboratories, veterinary clinics, research laboratories, colleges, and blood donor centers.

Medical Office Manager

According to PayScale3, medical office managers oversee the day-to-day operations of their office, including taking incoming calls, managing schedules for employees and patients, and managing and organize paperwork, expenses and accounts receivable. Medical office manager tasks include:

• Overseeing day-to-day operations and staff
• Managing accounting, planning budgets and coordinating financial reporting.
• Ensuring compliance and maintaining awareness of payer and reimbursement policies, coding guidelines and health insurance changes.
• Maintaining organizational policies and procedures.

Assistant Medical Office Manager

According to PayScale4, assistant managers of medical offices help ensure the office runs smoothly. They typically support the manager in a variety of tasks. The assistant medical office manager may do administrative work including reminding patients of upcoming appointments, answering multiple phones, and tracking missed appointments. The assistant medical office manager is responsible for the following:

• Coordinating and supervising daily operations and activities.
• Assisting with policy compliance and policy changes.
• Scheduling patient appointments, tests, and rooms.
• Documenting patient and insurance information
• Verifying insurance coverage and billing.

Phlebotomist

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics5, the phlebotomist draws blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. They may explain their work to patients and provide assistance if patients have adverse reactions after their blood is drawn. Phlebotomists typically do the following:

• Draw blood from patients and blood donors
• Talk with patients to help them feel less nervous about having their blood drawn
• Verify a patient’s identity to ensure proper labeling of the blood
• Enter patient information into a database
• Assemble and maintain medical instruments

Physical Therapy Aide

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics6, physical therapist aides work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists. Physical therapist aides often do tasks that are indirectly related to patient care, including cleaning and setting up treatment areas, mobilizing patients, and performing clerical duties. Physical therapist aides typically do the following:

• Clean treatment areas and set up therapy equipment
• Wash linens and clean instruments
• Help patients move around the therapy area
• Do clerical tasks, answering phones and scheduling patients
• Order supplies and fill out insurance forms

Interested in becoming a medical assistant? The Medical Assistant Program is designed to prepare graduates to work as an entry-level medical assistant in health care centers, clinics, hospitals, ambulatory care centers and medical billing offices. Interested in a Medical Assisting program? PCI Health Training Center has campuses in Dallas and Richardson, TX. Contact PCI Health Training Center for more information on how to become a medical assistant and start a rewarding career today.

**PCI firmly upholds its policy of nondiscrimination. Inquiries regarding policy may be directed to TitleIXCoordinator@pcihealth.com.
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who complete the program, and other important information, please visit our website at www.pcihealth.edu/consumer-information.

1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm#tab-2

2 PayScale, http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Clinical_Technician/Hourly_Rate

3 PayScale, http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Medical_Office_Manager/Salary

4 PayScale, http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Assistant_Manager%2c_Medical_Office/Hourly_Rate

5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/phlebotomists.htm#tab-2

6 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapist-assistants-and-aides.htm#tab-2