How to become a medical assistant in times of a pandemic
It is over two years now since the COVID-19 crisis began, and with infections at record highs as new variants emerge, there is little sign that it will wind down any time soon.
If you have felt compelled to get into the healthcare industry in the wake of the pandemic, but you don’t want to spend years qualifying as a doctor, then becoming a medical assistant is an ideal option.
So how do you go about entering this profession, and are there any opportunities provided by the coronavirus conundrum which might work in your favor?
Staff shortages are increasing demand for new hires
Whether you seek medical assistant training in Egg Harbor Township, NJ or any other part of the country for that matter, you will have a high chance of walking straight into a job once the program is complete.
This is all down to the worker shortages that are being experienced at the moment, with some regions in particular seeing staff availability dropping to critical levels.
While shortages have certainly been exacerbated by the pandemic, they were already endemic in much of the healthcare industry. So now is very much the time to train up if you have been on the fence about whether or not a career as a medical assistant is right for you.
Online training is available
From a practical perspective, the pandemic has thrown traditional approaches to training and education into disarray, just as it has disrupted every other industry and experience which previously relied upon lots of people being in the same room together.
The best way around this for aspiring medical assistants is to select a training course which is available to take remotely.
This will let you participate in classes, submit assignments and take tests online, as well as having access to digital resources to further your learning endeavors from the comfort of your own home.
It is worth pointing out that you need to make sure that the course you take is accredited and backed by both reputable bodies as well as the state-level authorities in your region, or else you might struggle to find work locally.
It should take a matter of moments to research whether or not a particular provider caters to those seeking medical assistant training where you are based.
Eligibility cannot be overlooked
Another major part of becoming a medical assistant during a pandemic is making sure that you meet the minimum requirements for entry into the training programs that are available to you.
Everything from your age and past educational achievements to your physical fitness will matter, with the latter being especially important.
Medical assistants can be called upon to complete physically strenuous and draining tasks in the line of duty, so you might even need to provide a note from your doctor to give the go-ahead before you can apply for training.
Dedication and other skills are required
Before you go through with the process of becoming a medical assistant, it is worth thinking about whether you have the skills and qualities needed to succeed in this field.
Dedication is needed by all healthcare workers, particularly at this point in history when the pressures of the pandemic are being keenly felt.
You need emotional resilience as well as physical resilience to encompass the challenges you will face on a daily basis.
It is also a job which needs people skills, with kindness, compassion and good communication all being crucial for medical assistants to exhibit.
The only thing left to do is apply for training and throw yourself into the act of working towards qualifying as a medical assistant!
Photo by Laura James
