| Medical assisting is one of the fastest growing health | | | | employees. Virtual education is now part of the |
| care jobs. As the American and global population of | | | | planning agenda of most organizations concerned |
| western countries continues to age, this high growth | | | | with education and training. The quality of distance |
| of many health care jobs is expected to continue | | | | learning has greatly improved in the past few years, |
| through at least the next decade. According to the | | | | as both students and educators have become more |
| United States Department of Labor, | | | | comfortable with the technology, and as stories of |
| �Employment is projected to grow much | | | | best practices have been shared and duplicated. |
| faster than average, ranking medical assistants | | | | Recent research has shown that the most significant |
| among the fastest growing occupations over the | | | | factor helping students to succeed in web-based |
| 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be | | | | classes has been their ability to manage time. |
| excellent, particularly for those with formal | | | | There are hundreds, if not thousands of different |
| training.� Most medical assistants and health | | | | types of medical jobs. Healthcare is the largest |
| care office workers receive their training informally at | | | | industry, showing the highest amount of growth of |
| medical offices or often though a more traditional | | | | any other field, according to the Bureau of Labor |
| program offered at a local vocation school, | | | | Statistics. Employing 14 million people in 2006, the |
| community college or though online distance | | | | healthcare industry is projected to add about three |
| education classes. | | | | million more jobs by 2016, according to the BLS. |
| Medical assistants usually work in an office setting. | | | | Medical assistant jobs and other allied health |
| Work hours are usually daylight, Monday through | | | | professional will continue to make up a large portion |
| Friday, 40-hour work weeks and often some | | | | of employment opportunities in the health care job |
| weekend hours are required. Overtime is often | | | | market, making medical assisting a rapidly growing |
| available and sometimes mandatory. Positions at | | | | career with much opportunity over the foreseeable |
| insurance hospital or health care clinics are more likely | | | | future. As a whole, medical support roles and |
| to have a few overnight or late hour shifts available. | | | | administrative roles make up a whopping 18% of all |
| Many of the fastest growing health care jobs such | | | | jobs in the healthcare industry, which is why these |
| as medical assistant careers are concentrated in the | | | | jobs are amongst the top medical jobs. |
| health services field and 19% of all health care job | | | | Medical assistants may advance to other occupations |
| growth from 2004 - 2014 will be in health services. | | | | through experience or additional training. For example, |
| Factors contributing to continued growth in this | | | | some may go on to teach medical assisting, and |
| industry include the aging population, which will | | | | others pursue additional education to become nurses |
| continue to require more services, and the increased | | | | or other health care workers. Administrative medical |
| use of innovative medical technology for intensive | | | | assistants may advance to office manager, or qualify |
| diagnosis and treatment. The effect of the increasing | | | | for a variety of administrative support occupations. |
| proportion of the elderly is already being felt. | | | | Helping to drive this job growth is the increasing |
| Medical assistant many now take advantage of | | | | number of group practices, clinics, and other health |
| newer technology and study the basics online, often | | | | care facilities that require a high proportion of support |
| at a very affordable fee and at convenient time | | | | personnel, particularly medical assistants who can |
| schedules. Distance education medical assistant | | | | handle both administrative and clinical duties. In |
| courses such as the medical assistant program at | | | | addition, medical assistants work primarily in |
| which is provided by St. Augustine School of Medical | | | | outpatient settings, a rapidly growing sector of the |
| Assistants provide a new innovative approach to the | | | | health care industry. |
| training of medical assistants and health care office | | | | |