10 Crucial Skills Every Medical Assistant Needs to Succeed

Medical Assistants, or MAs, are an integral part of a healthcare team, working alongside physicians in facilities like medical offices, clinics, and surgery centers. They’re cross-trained to perform administrative and clinical duties, and they’re instrumental in helping patients feel at ease. 

A Medical Assistant’s duties may include, but aren’t limited to:

• Taking medical histories
• Explaining procedures to patients 
• Preparing patients for examinations
• Assisting the physician during examinations
• Preparing and administering medications, including vaccinations/immunizations, as directed by a physician or other licensed provider
• Phlebotomy
• Updating and filing patient medical records
• Coding and filling out insurance forms
• Scheduling appointments
• Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services

To succeed as an MA, you must have a combination of hard technical skills and soft interpersonal skills. Let’s explore what some of those skills are and why they’re important. 

Medical Assistant Soft Skills 

Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to how a Medical Assistant interacts with patients and colleagues. The soft skills that come with patient care are just as important as the clinical skills when working as an MA. 

Here are five soft skills that every Medical Assistant should have: 

1. Communication: Medical Assistants must be able to clearly communicate with the other members of their healthcare team and patients. MAs often explain procedures or information to a patient so it’s essential to be able to do so clearly and compassionately.  
2. Empathy: An MA is an instrumental part in helping a patient feel at ease, so you must be able to understand patients’ needs and concerns. 
3. Teamwork: As an MA, you have to be able to work with physicians and other healthcare professionals daily.
4. Adaptability: Every patient is different and has their own needs or concerns, an MA must have the flexibility to respond to those changing needs.
5. Attention to Detail: Taking patient medical histories and updating medical records requires an MA to be thorough and precise.

Medical Assistant Hard Skills 

Hard skills are technical abilities that are taught, and that can be measured. Medical Assistants learn hard skills through their education and on-the-job training.

Here are five hard skills that every Medical Assistant should have: 

1. Patient Preparation: Preparing a patient for minor surgeries or examinations. 
2. Medical Terminology: All healthcare professionals need to be familiar with medical terminology to communicate effectively with their teammates, understand patient records, and explain orders a patient may not understand. 
3. Sterilization and Infection Control: Making sure medical equipment and exam areas are properly cleaned to meet safety standards. 
4. Clinical Procedures: This can include drawing blood, administering injections, and performing eye and ear assessments.
5. Medical Billing and Coding: Understanding insurance codes and claims processes.  

Ready to Start Your Healthcare Career? Learn Medical Assisting Online at Bryan University

Bryan University offers an online Clinical Medical Assistant Undergraduate Certificate that will teach you the skills you need to succeed as a Medical Assistant and prepare you to take the National Healthcareer Association’s (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Certification — and the cost of the exam is included! 

As a Bryan U student, you’ll get an at-home medical kit for hands-on practice that includes a blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, phlebotomy/venipuncture kit, authentic IV kit, and more. 

You can also continue your education with Bryan University’s online Associate Degree in Administrative Medical Assisting, which will expand your knowledge from the certificate program. 

Register online today!