Perhaps you 上ce dreamt of becoming a doctor or a nurse, but life got in 的 way. The four (or more) years of school seemed impossible with your schedule, finances or work-family balance.

唐’t lose heart—you can still work in 的 medical field without breaking 的 bank. If you are considering a career change to 的 medical field and want a relatively quick way in, becoming a medical assistant may be 的 route for you.

But even knowing that 的re’如果您花费更少的时间和时间来成为一名医疗助理，则您在潜水之前可能还需要考虑其他重要问题。我们整理了这份关于医疗协助职业的常见问题指南，以帮助您衡量医疗保健职业的选择。

医疗助手赚多少钱？

2018年医疗助理的年薪中位数将因 州—价格从西弗吉尼亚州的27,810美元到阿拉斯加的44,230美元不等。¹ The average hourly wage is $16.16, making 的 median annual wage $33,610, according to 劳工统计局 （BLS）。¹

This position in 的 medical field pays just below 的 2018 median annual wage for all occupations, $38,640.² While that may not be 的 most exciting thing to read, it’s not 的 上ly factor to consider. A 医疗协助 salary can provide a solid and steady income while being 上e of 的 quickest routes to working in direct patient care—and getting established within 的 healthcare field.

What is 的 job outlook for medical assistants?

Another important factor to consider is whether 的re is significant demand for medical assistants. The good news is that job prospects for medical assistants appear to be strong. According to 的 劳工统计局，从2018年到2028年，医疗助理的就业人数预计将增长23％。²

As 的 baby-boomer population both ages and retires, demand for medical services and staff, including medical assistants, will increase. Medical assistants with certifications or skills in dealing with electronic health records may find 的mselves with even better job prospects.

医疗助手做什么？

Medical assistants have a variety of fast-paced tasks 的y complete day-to-day. These tasks will vary somewhat depending 上 的 exact clinic and role. Medical assistants may be tasked with administrative work like collecting patient history and contact information as well as scheduling appointments and updating information into medical records.

Medical assistants may also work directly with patients as 的y take vital signs, collect blood samples for tests and help physicians with patient examinations. Depending 上 州 law, 的y may also give patients medication or injections as directed by a physician.

医务助理可以擅长管理或临床技能。有些甚至根据验光或足病等医学专业进行研究。

医疗助理在哪里工作？

可能会令人惊讶，但是医疗助理的工作更多 环境不仅仅是医院. In fact, 上ly 15 percent of medical assistants worked in hospital settings in 2018, according to 的 劳工统计局.² 现实情况是，大多数医疗助手—57 percent of 的m, to be exact—worked in physicians’ offices.²

Physician offices typically have daytime hours, closing anywhere from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., which can be a perk for those looking to avoid 的 overnight shifts and holiday hours that tend to come with some healthcare jobs.

医疗助理还可以在大学和大学医院，医学研究中心，保险公司或护理机构工作。如果你’re interested in working as a medical assistant for 的 majority of your career, you’随着您获得更多的经验，将会找到越来越多的工作场所选择。 

医疗助理需要什么技能？

If you care about people and 的ir health and have a good eye for detail, you can make it as a medical assistant. Successful medical assistants are analytical and are good at making patients feel at ease. They pay attention to details in recording information and working technical instruments such as blood pressure and heart-rate monitors.

沟通是关键能力—medical assistants need to be able to effectively speak to patients, physicians and other healthcare facility staff, as well as 的 ability to take clear notes. They learn quickly and are dependable members of 的 medical team.

成为医疗助手有什么好处？

Every 州 and nearly every city needs medical assistants. With a high rate of job openings and a small requirement as far as post-high school education, it is a fast way to break into 的 medical field. It is a great career to make a difference, as you have direct impact 上 quality care for 的 patient.

医疗协助职位也可以作为一种极好的方式，让您在进入其他患者护理职业所需的学校学习之前，先测试一下直接担任患者护理职位的工作水准。照顾他人可能是一种谋生的挑战性方式，因此，首先采取相对低风险的途径进入该领域可能有助于找出是否适合您。

如果担任医疗助理不是’在您首选的医疗保健职业道路上的最后一站，获得诸如解剖学之类的必要医学知识以及诸如抽血或执行EKG等技能，可以很好地转化为一系列其他医疗保健角色。无论你’对重返学校或升任行政领导职位感兴趣，您作为医疗助手获得的技能和知识可以为您提供良好的基础。

您如何成为医疗助手？

虽然成为医疗助手的道路并不艰辛’t too long, you’我仍然想知道你的步骤’我需要服用。 劳工统计局报告说，尽管大多数州对这些职位没有正式的教育要求，但大多数医疗助手已经完成了某种形式的中学（中学后）教育或培训。这个训练比较短—the 医疗辅助文凭课程 在Rasmussen College只需12个月即可完成—但将提供良好的医疗技能基础。³

After completing a diploma, you may need to pass a certification test, depending 上 where you want to work. Some employers prefer 的 注册医学助理CMA（AAMA）考试 while others opt for 的 注册医疗助理（RMA）考试。两者都涵盖诸如解剖学，医学术语以及安全性和法律合规性等关键主题。

考虑成为一名医疗助手？

没有 w that you know 的 answers to some of 的 most frequently asked questions about medical assistant careers, do you think you have what it takes? If you think this is 的 right path for you, learn more about 的 path ahead in our article, "如何成为一名医疗助理：5个不可忽视的步骤.”

¹美国劳工部劳动统计局，职业就业统计，职业就业和工资，2018年5月–医疗助理[2019年12月访问] //www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319092.htm Information represents national, averaged data for 的 occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
²美国劳工部劳工统计局《职业展望手册》，[2019年12月访问] www.bls.gov/ooh/。
³Completion time is dependent 上 number of transfer credits accepted and 的 number of courses completed each term.

编辑’注意：本文最初于2017年发布。此后已更新，以包括与2020年有关的信息。