Physician & Medical Assistant Online Programs

With the expansion in the health care industry and the many technological advances being made in medicine, the demand for medical and physician assistants have increased over the past few years. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, this field is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations through the year 2012. The duties of medical assistants can vary from one setting to another and are dependent upon the practitioner's specialty, location, and size. continued below »

Schools that offer an online degree/certificate:

Drexel University Online offers an Advanced Physician Assistant Studies Program (M.H.S) that is designed for physician assistants who are seeking graduate credentials for career advancement. In this program, students study such topics as public health, education, pharmacology, health policy, medical ethics, and practice management.

Mountain State University offers an Associate of Science in Medical Assisting degree program online. In this program, students learn how to properly schedule appointments, call in prescriptions, prepare and maintain patient charts, process insurance claims, transcribe medical documents, handle billing and collections, and many other administrative tasks.

Central Florida College offers an Associate of Science/Administrative Medical Assistant degree program online. The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as medical administrative assistants and other administrative positions as they relate to the operation of medical offices. In this program, students are trained to perform an array of administrative/clerical duties, utilize spreadsheet and database management computer applications, and process medical insurance forms.

Medical assistants perform an array of administrative duties that may include greeting patients, updating patients' medical records, filing insurance claims, and scheduling hospital admissions and lab testing. In addition, these individuals may take and record patient vital signs, instruct patients about medications, sterilize medical instruments, and perform basic laboratory testing, depending upon state laws.

Physician assistants (PA) on the other hand, are not responsible for clerical and clinical duties. Rather, they are directed by a physician to provide diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic healthcare services to patients. In many states, PA's can even write prescriptions for medication and are trained to read x-rays and other test results, as well as make diagnoses and examine patients. Both Medical assistants and PA's can find employment in hospitals, medical offices, academic medical facilities, prisons, and in public clinics. Most employers prefer individuals who have been formally trained in medical/physician assisting and who have become certified by passing a national examination. The potential earnings for individuals in this field does vary by location and specialty, but ranges from an average of $30,000 annually for medical assistants to well over $70,000 annually for physician assistants. For more information on how you can begin an exciting career as a medical or physician assistant, contact one of the schools below.

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