Judy Yung, a medical assistant, laughs when she talks about her challenging
profession. "My main duty is keeping the doctor happy, the rooms full and
the appointment book filled," she quips. A medical assistant for 16 years,
Yung slid into her profession -- and never looked back.
Medical assistants can almost be considered the customer service representatives
of the health-care industry. They calm fears, help patients, handle bookkeeping
and assist doctors -- all while providing you with the best possible care
and consideration.
Yung's medical assisting career began with accompanying a friend to the
doctor's office. The doctor pulled her aside, asked about her background (Yung
is a registered nurse), and asked if she'd like to work there. "I planned
to stay one month and ended up staying for 16 years," she jokes.
Those 16 years have been busy and demanding. Her duties are varied, and
include making appointments, answering phones, ordering supplies, filing and
copying. She also occasionally works overtime to assist the rest of her team
and complete insurance forms for patients.
Exhausting? Yes. But Yung loves her job and her contribution. "Everybody
and their health is important," she says. "You have to be able to roll with
things."
What does Yung love about her job? The people. "I work with very interesting
people and doctors," she says. "I have a very interesting, stressful and demanding
job."
Because of the varied duties and constant juggling, Yung has some sage
advice for future medical assistants. "Take some courses first and try it
out. This job is not glamorous and is very hard work," she warns.
Who's best suited for this exciting career? People who love variety. "If
you like people and never having your work done, you'll do well," she jokes.
Wayne Henderson, a certified medical assistant and clinic assistant in
California, also keeps busy. "I work Monday through Saturday with varying
hours," he explains.
Like Yung, his duties are diverse and interesting. "I check in patients,
place them in exam rooms and prep patients for minor surgeries. I also assist
the physician with minor surgeries," Henderson says.
Working with diverse patients and duties has given Henderson some fantastic
medical assisting stories. "My best day I had at work was when I responded
to a code blue with a patient having a seizure. I jumped in and
assisted the code team with the supplies and set up of IV tubing needed during
the code," he says.
"It set the tone for every other department I have worked in since -- and
they know they can count on me in most any situation."
Professionalism is extremely important in the medical assisting industry.
"There is little margin for error in the medical business," Henderson warns.
Despite the serious medical ailments Henderson sees every day, he says
his job is fun. "The group I work with is very loose and fun to be around.
We all do our job in a very professional manner but still have time to laugh
and enjoy each other's company," he explains.
This professionalism, combined with his training, has provided Henderson
with a rewarding career. "I get satisfaction when I can see a patient go into
an exam room either hurting or upset and come out feeling better or with a
smile on their face," he explains. "It gives me a good feeling inside that
I had a part of that."
"It's rewarding to help other people. I love working with doctors and learning
from the knowledge that they share," says Annette Batchelor, a certified podiatric
medical assistant in North Carolina. "In podiatry, often we can see immediate
results. A patient's feet feel better sometimes before they leave the office
-- and they love you for that!"
Batchelor jumped through many hoops before she could start her career.
"I started college after age 35 when my kids were in school. I was attempting
to get my degree in medical assisting in California. Six months before I would
have graduated, my husband was transferred to Florida."
Much to her disappointment, Batchelor realized that she would have to enroll
in a technical school and start her education from scratch. She didn't get
angry about this turn of events -- instead, she got busy. "I completed the
13-month course in nine months. I was anxious to get started with my career."
Batchelor's duties, like Yung's and Henderson's, are very diverse. "I start
laundry [for drapes and medical gowns], make sure exam rooms are stocked for
the day, review lab work, assist the doctor, do X-rays, follow up with patients
and set up procedure trays."
Does she mind a constantly busy schedule? "It's fun, rewarding and challenging
-- but never boring."