Although medical assistants will continue to be in high demand over the coming years, opportunity does not always equal personal compatibility. That is why before embarking on medical assistant training in NJ or elsewhere, prospective students should have a good understanding of what the job entails and asses their own personality for compatibility with the job requirements.
Like all jobs in healthcare, being a medical assistant can sometimes be stressful, demanding and repetitive. It can also be extremely exciting and rewarding. In order to be effective as well as happy in the role of medical assistant, the right temperament is crucial. The ability to engage all types of people in all types of mood and remain generally upbeat regardless is very important.
While a certain amount of empathy is important, it is more important to be able to assess a person’s mood and respond accordingly. Fear, anger, depression or melancholy as well as a general sense of feeling uncomfortable are all common moods that a medical assistant will encounter when dealing with patients in almost any setting. Having an ability to be genuinely engaging without being phony or acting too detached is important to helping the patient through any process or procedure that the medical assistant may be tasked with.
Although medical assistant schools in NJ or elsewhere cannot train a person to have these qualities, they can help develop them in someone that is predisposed to these traits in general. It usually starts with a strong willingness to help others that is coupled with a desire to learn as well as grow as a person.
All interactions for medical assistants, whether they are with other medical professionals or with patients, rely on an ability to communicate effectively. Effective communication starts with an ability to listen and absorb what others are saying. Many people believe themselves to be good listeners, but the reality is that they are often just waiting for their turn to talk.
A successful communicator listens carefully and patiently to others and tailors their response based on the person’s mood, body language, and tone as well as what they say. Once again, while this is something that can be developed through medical assistant training in NJ, it requires that the student come prepared to learn new approaches to communication rather than relying on past experiences.
For many people, it may go without saying that someone that is squeamish at the sight of blood or injuries is unlikely to do well in medical assistant schools in NJ let alone as a professional working in the field. Although it is possible to overcome these tendencies, it requires a strength-of-will and dedication to helping others.
Healthcare is a highly regulated industry, and you must be willing and able to precisely follow rules and instructions. In addition, you need to be able to effectively deal with stress and work your way through it without it affecting your job in negative ways.
Healthcare settings are all collaborative environments where you will be called on to work with others in a team setting—sometimes following the direction of others and sometimes being a leader. It is always a good idea to develop these attributes in a variety of settings before attending any of the medical assistant schools in NJ or elsewhere.
Gaining all types of experience in other settings as well as in healthcare settings can go a long way in helping you asses your compatibility for being a medical assistant. While you will be placed in real-world settings during medical assistant training in NJ or wherever you choose to go to school, it is essential for you to gain some real-world perspective on the healthcare field before you begin your formal education.
By gaining a realistic understanding of what being a healthcare professional is like, you will position yourself to take full advantage of your medical assistant education. It takes time and dedication to become a skilled medical assistant. By performing a thorough assessment of your temperament and personality against the demands of the job, you will be poised to better serve your future patients alongside other dedicated healthcare professionals upon entering the field after graduation.