Thesis for Professional Literature Review

Research shows that the Certified Medical Assistant serves as a critical link between the patient and the physician for effective primary care.  The expectations for the Certified Medical Assistant continue to expand and evolve as their role diversifies.

Six Professional Literature Citations

Balasa, D. A., J.D., M.B.A. New Roles for the Certified Medical Assistant

To Enhance Quality and Effectiveness of Care. J Med Pract Manage, March/April 2008:1-3.j

Balasa, D. A., JD, MBA. The Certified Medical Assistant (American Association of Medical Assistants): An Invaluable Asset for the Pediatric Office. 2009.

Bodenheimer T. The Teamlet Model of Primary Care. Ann Fam Med. 2007;(5):457-461. http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/5/5/457. Accessed May 23, 2011.

Ferrer RL, Mody-Bailey P, Jaén CR, Gott S, Araujo S. A medical assistant-based program to promote health behaviors in primary care. Ann Fam Med. 2009; 7(6):504–512. http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/abstract/7/6/504?ijkey=a8ddf6f11600479bc884ade91f64aeac04b3c2fc&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha. Accessed May 29, 2011.

Tache, S & Hill-Sakurai, L. Medical assistants: the invisible "glue" of primary health care practices in the United States? January 1, 2010;24;(3): 288-305.


Van den Berg, G. J., Anders H., and J. C. van Ours. "Do stepping-stone jobs exist? Early career paths in the medical profession." J Popul Econ. 2002;15.4; 647–665.

Professional Journal Articles

Balasa, Donald A., JD, MBA. The Certified Medical Assistant (American Association of Medical Assistants): An Invaluable Asset for the Pediatric Office. 2009.

http://practice.aap.org/content.aspx?aid=2815. Accessed May 23, 2011.

Thesis: Quality of personnel is an important factor in the success of a pediatric practice. Certified medical assistants (CMAs) (American Association of Medical Assistants [AAMA]) have proven to be some of the most versatile and effective staff members in the offices of pediatricians.

Bodenheimer T. The Teamlet Model of Primary Care. Ann Fam Med. 2007;(5):457-461. http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/5/5/457/DC1. Accessed May 23, 2011.

Thesis: The 15-minute visit does not allow the physician sufficient time to provide the variety of services expected of primary care. A teamlet (little team) model of care is proposed to extend the 15-minute physician visit. Medical assistants or other practice personnel would require retraining to assume the health coach role. Primary care practices interested in trying out the teamlet concept need to train 2 health coaches for each full-time equivalent clinician to ensure smooth patient flow.

Tache, Stephanie; Hill-Sakurai, Laura. Medical assistants: the invisible "glue" of primary health care practices in the United States?  J Health Organ Manag., January 1, 2010;24;(3): 288-305.

http://journals.ohiolink.edu.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Tach_Stephanie.pdf?issn=14777266&issue=v24i0003&article=288_matiopcpitus. Accessed May 23, 2011.

Thesis: Little attention has been given to the field of medical assisting in US health services to date. To explore the roles medical assistants (MAs) currently play in primary care settings, the paper aims to focus on the work scope and dynamics of these increasingly common healthcare personnel.

Van den Berg, Gerard J., Anders Holm, and Jan C. van Ours. "Do stepping-stone jobs exist? Early career paths in the medical profession." J Popul Econ. 2002;15.4; 647–665. http://journals.ohiolink.edu.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/van_den_Berg_Gerard_J.pdf?issn=09331433&issue=v15i0004&article=647_dsjeecpitmp.  Accessed May 23, 2011.

Thesis: In the Netherlands, students who want to become a medical specialist have to enroll in a training program which is in limited supply. During the search for a position as trainee (or ‘‘junior medical specialist’’), they may accept a temporary job as a medical assistant. They use a micro data set to investigate whether such work experience increases the probability of becoming

Junior medical specialist. They find that a job as medical assistant helps to become a medical specialist.

Popular Audience Needs

     My popular audience in the medical asisting field would be patients who come into the medical facility seeking any type of medical attention. Their needs would include vital checks, blood draws, patient history taken, or simply scheduling an appointment. The patient needs to be assured that they are in good hands and will receive top quality care. I have learned from past research that popular perception of the medical assistant is that people think it's a waste of education and money. It is a fact that the job requires more than just training and certification. Certification is imporant because it allows the medical assistant to perform more tasks. The patients want to know that the MA is qualified, educated, and a trustworthy individual who will tend to their specific condition

Genre Analysis (rough draft)

Julie Griesinger

Professor Ruth Benander

English 289: Intermediate English

2 May 2011

Genre Analysis (rough draft)

            In comparing the popular and professional perceptions, there is a completely different view on the medical assisting program.  Most professionals agree that “Medical assistants are the invisible blue of primary health care practices in the United States.” In the popular perception, most “people on the street” are critical of what the medical assistant does. They are nothing more than office workers that can be trained on the job. In Yahoo Answers “Why do people say a Medical Assistant Degree is a scam,” is also a major concern for students who are interested in a Medical Assisting career. Although the popular perception agree that Medical Assistants are nothing more than office workers, MA’s play a significant role for the physician and patient in the workplace.

            Popular audience feels it’s a waste of education and money to get a college degree in this career.  Medical assistant’s have blogged that others tell them that some of the programs are actually a real scam. Many have specifically warned about bogus diplomas and accreditation mills that just take your money without giving you a legitimate degree. There are many government and consumer protection agencies that tell you that the diploma mills are disservice to the public. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that the education you receive is provided by an institution of higher education and that it meets acceptable levels of quality.  An educated consumer will always research a school first.  Employers will always make sure they recognize the college you have listed on your resume when you apply for a job. The ABHES states: “Be a smart consumer and look before you leap.” Individuals who are enrolled in the MA program know that the CAAHP websites prove that Medical Assisting is an accredited program. If people enroll in costly programs that cost $30,000 or more then they are most likely being scammed. It is a legitimate and worthwhile program; it’s those career colleges that give it a bad name.  I think that most people, who are not educated in what the medical assistant does, do not understand the requirements and obligations that come with this program.  Well educated medical assistants have taken on much more today than many years ago. They work directly with the physician and patients to establish a good healthcare worker/patient relationship.  The MA’s skills that are being taught in today’s colleges are close to what the practical nurse is being taught.  A skilled medical assistant can make a good salary in any healthcare facility if they are certified

            There is a significant difference between these two genres.  The popular audience feels that the MA is a nonessential person and that anyone off the street can do the job, whereas the professional audience knows that the MA is an important asset to any healthcare facility. They are the physician’s personal assistant and without them, their business would not run smoothly. The professional indicates a more positive point of view for the medical assistant. The professional understands that MA’s are making a difference in the workplace.  They know that MA’ are trained in skills that “people off the street” cannot perform without the proper degree and certification.  The professional demands certification so that they know they are getting a well-educated and qualified MA. A professional will tell you that the Medical Assistant’s attitude is friendly and they possess outstanding communication skills.  Doctors expect the MA to be reliable, skillful, efficient, and trustworthy.  There are many challenges that come with Medical Assisting that only a well-educated MA can handle.  Many professionals also say that Medical Assistants are concerned health workers who make life in the healthcare field much easier.  Most potential employers consider a certified MA an asset to any healthcare facility and without them they could not run a successful practice.

Professional Perception of Medical Assisting

            The professional audience feels that little attention has been given to what roles the Medical Assistant have in the primary care settings.  Studies were done by professional experts in the Medical Assisting field to better understand the work of MAs.  Their findings showed that MAs are “making a difference” in the workplace and relationships within the workplace.  The study also showed that Medical Assistants improve communications between patients and physicians; they develop their own bonds with patients that provide continuity that extends beyond the patient-clinician relationship.  A Medical Assistant is described as being able to address patient needs, treating patients with respect and acting as a patient advocate. 

            Another great example of what the professional audience thinks is that in the Netherlands, students who want to become medical specialists have to enroll in a training program and may accept a temporary job as a trained medical assistant. The first stage is an extended undergraduate program which must be completed and the student obtains a degree comparable to a Master’s degree.  The official title is a basic doctor. This doctor cannot work as a physician or surgeon, but is allowed to work as a medical assistant.  Working as a medical assistant facilitates the inflow into the second stage to which the student can become a surgeon. Students who are being trained as doctors are also being trained to do the medical assistant’s job. It seems to me that most professionals feel that the Medical Assistant is an important asset to any health care setting. 

Works Cited

Taché. "Medical assistants: the invisible “glue” of primary health care practices in the United States." Journal of Health Organization and Management 24.3 (2010): 288-305.

http://journals.ohiolink.edu.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Tach_Stephanie.pdf?issn=14777266&issue=v24i0003&article=288_matiopcpitus. Accessed April 28, 2011.

Van den Berg, Gerard J., Anders Holm, and Jan C. van Ours. "Do stepping-stone jobs exist? Early career paths in the medical profession." Journal of Population Economics 15.4 (2002):

647 – 665. http://journals.ohiolink.edu.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/van_den_Berg_Gerard_J.pdf?issn=09331433&issue=v15i0004&article=647_dsjeecpitmp. Accessed April 28, 2011.

Popular Perception of Medical Assisting

            It is my understanding that no public facility will hire anyone without proper training, but some private facilities will hire an untrained medical assistant.  Your wage will potentially be dramatically decreased but its being done without the proper education or skills needed. Many people say that becoming a medical assistant could be achieved just by simply on the job training.  It’s basically a clerical position in a medical office. Some people don’t have the time or the financial means to become a degree holding medical assistant.  They feel that jumping right into the job market is the only option.  It is apparent to me that the majority of people on the street think that medical assisting doesn’t require much knowledge and it’s hardly a subsistence level income. It will most likely take you the rest of your life just to pay back the educational loan.

            An office manager said that if you want to be a nurse, go to nursing school.  Nursing is an accredited program.  What he sees Medical Assistant’s do, anyone off the street can do.  A lot of practices train you on the job; you just aren’t certified unless you take that initiative upon yourself.  Nursing is totally different from Medical Assistants and is more recognized.  There are some that have defended that the medical assisting degree is a scam.  It is a degree in Associates in Applied Science, but you should still check out what the overall cost of the program will be versus the potential pay. If you go to a community college, you are doing things the smart way. There are a lot of for-profit technical colleges that advertise Medical Assisting as one of their programs and encourage the student to take out large student loans to pay the fees. They convince them that the program will lead to endless opportunities when in reality there aren’t that many job openings for the Medical Assistant compared to the large number of graduates. You end up with a worthless certificate and $20K-30K in student loan debt.  All the job pays is about $8-$10 an hour.

            I know for a fact that skill and knowledge is needed to be a good medical assistant.  There are perhaps many jobs out there that do not require the educational background or a degree, but they also will not pay the salary that a Certified Medical Assistant would receive. Medical Assistants have traditionally held jobs almost exclusively in ambulatory care centers, urgent care facilities, and clinics, but this is now changing. Today more Medical Assistants are finding employment in both private and public hospitals, as well as inpatient and outpatient facilities.  There are higher expectations of the Medical Assistant today than there were many years ago.  The Medical Assisting career can be very rewarding and satisfying.

Works Cited

Medical Assistant Net Blog: Find the Dream Job of Becoming a Medical Assistant.

            Advanced Medical Assistant Custom Web Design, LLC.

<http://medicalassistantnet.blogspot.com/2011/04/finding-dream-job-of-becoming-            medical.html>. Published and updated 2006-2011. Accessed April 26, 2011.

WiseGeek: What Does a Medical Assistant Do? Conjecture corporation.

<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-medical-assistant-do.htm>.

Published  2003–2011.  Accessed April 26, 2011.

YahooAnswers.com: Why do people say a Medical Assistant Degree is a scam?

            <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080203084635AAfJY9X>.

            2011 Yahoo.inc. Accessed April 26, 2011.