The medical field is a diverse landscape of careers that offers limitless opportunities. These choices are so numerous that it can be overwhelming to understand which career path you might be interested in committing to. One profession that many of our students choose is Clinical Medical Assistant. HMC offers both a 15-month healthcare diploma and a 24-month Associate Applied Science (AAS) program to start your career as a medical assistant.
If you’ve ever been to a doctor’s office, you’ve likely interacted with a medical assistant who finished a program like those at HMC. Medical assistants may follow a variety of career pathways in the healthcare industry. Some possible options include:
- Working in a doctor’s office or clinic, providing support to physicians and other healthcare professionals. Duties may include scheduling appointments, managing patient records, and performing basic clinical tasks such as taking vital signs.
- Providing home healthcare services to patients who are unable to visit a healthcare facility. This may involve coordinating care with other healthcare professionals, providing medication reminders, and assisting with activities of daily living.
- Working in a hospital setting, providing support to nurses and other healthcare professionals. This may include taking patient vital signs, managing patient records, and assisting with patient care.
- Providing care in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home or assisted living community. This may involve coordinating care with other healthcare professionals, assisting with activities of daily living, and providing medication reminders.
- Working in a laboratory setting, performing basic laboratory tests, and assisting with research projects.
Overall, the career pathways available to medical assistants are diverse and may include a variety of settings and responsibilities, depending on their skills and interests.
In addition to offering a wide range of potential work settings, the need for medical assistants is growing, which will only create more opportunities for graduates. According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics, medical assistants in Hawai‘i make an average of $39,600–$47,320 as of 2021. On top of that, the medical assistant profession is expected to experience significant growth in the coming decade, with employment projections of a 16% increase from 2021 to 2031. This is significantly faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.
If you’re curious to learn more about how you can become a medical assistant, check out our two programs at hmi.edu/programs. If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you! Call us at (808) 347-5307.
