Medical practice assisting is the process by which medical practice assistants help medical staffs such as doctors and nurses in the provision of clinical and administrative care. The roles performed by medical practice assistants vary depending on the type of health facility, but some of the typical roles include: meeting the patients, monitoring their progress, recording information about the patient’s medical history. In smaller health facilities, they can perform administrative roles such as scheduling appointments and even answering phone calls. The career requirements for a medical practice assistant keeps on changing, but one should have at least a certificate or associate degree in medical practicing.
Skills required to get Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting
To qualify for Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting, you must have been performing reception or administrative roles in general practice or any other ambulatory healthcare facility, or you had access to a suitable working environment within the health facility and have an appropriate level of support in the workplace. To qualify for Certificate IV, you have to attend face to face training sessions seven full days in every term.
Every student is required to provide a nominated health facility clinical supervisor as well as an administrative supervisor who is ready and willing to help the student achieve their learning aims and oversee the student’s progress in the workplace.
An applicant has to study for three terms, which exceed 18 months and then participate in face to face practical skills training for seven full days over the entire course study time. Attendance is mandatory and forms the grounds for assessment requirements.
How to Get a Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting?
Applicants should have a high school diploma or any other certificate equivalent to a high school diploma. You must be a graduate of official programs in the field of medical assisting. License is not a must, but some countries subject them to a test before they can start to perform their roles.
You have to be smart, prepared, and courteous because you are interacting with the public.
You should have passed your national examination as this is an indication that the medical assistant is competent. With official training programs in medical assisting, you can easily get Certificate IV in medical practicing, although it’s not mandatory to have this kind of training. Medical assistants who are well trained for their jobs can also qualify for certificate IV.
One of the traits of medical assistants with certificate IV is to ease tension among the patients and explain instructions to physicians without getting anxious.
Job opportunities you can get with Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting
Medical practice assistants are assigned administration and clinical roles to facilitate the running of the health facility. The responsibilities of medical assistants are based on how big or small a health facility is, location, and the area the practitioner has specialized in.
Administrative role
With Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting, a medical assistant is entrusted to perform administrative roles such as answering phone calls, talking to patients, recording and updating patient’s details, scheduling appointments, bookkeeping, among others.
Clinical roles
The clinical roles vary from one state to the other depending on the roles of every country. Some of the clinical roles you can perform with a certificate IV in medical practice assisting include: recording patient’s medical history, noting down vital signs, ensuring the patient has understood the treatment protocols to be followed, getting patients ready for the test, and helping the physician where necessary.
Medical assistants are also tasked with the collection and preparation of what is to be tested in a lab or performing basic examinations on the health facility, disposal of supplies that are contaminated, and sterilization of medical instruments. Medical assistants are also assigned the role of ensuring the medical equipment is in place, and they are in good condition. They also keep the examination and waiting rooms clean and tidy. Medical assistants and physician assistants are not the same things as people’s mistakes. Physician assistants can perform the diagnosis and treatment of patients under physician instructions.
The article has explained what medical practice assisting means, requirements to getting Certificate IV in medical practice assisting, means of getting certificate IV in medical practice assisting, and the job opportunities you can qualify with certificate IV in medical practice assisting.
