Becoming a Medical Assistant

By Claire Kiger

After25 years of being a beautician, Robin Van Til was ready for a change. She went back to school to pursue a medical coding degree, but then she heard about the medical assistant (MA) role.

“One of my teachers suggested the program to me,” she said. “I thought: Well, this might be a good thing for me to do.”

This program typically only takes 12 months to complete, but Robin took a year and a half. This allowed her to continue working at the salon full-time and care for her family. The full schedule was a challenge, but she pushed through, completed her internship and was able to quickly find a position.

Seven years into her career as an MA and currently working at St. Luke’s Mariner Medical Clinic, Robin has no regrets. “This is the best move I’ve ever made,” she said.

Robin encourages others to consider the role as well.

“You’ve got to be motivated. There’s not a lot of sitting around,” Robin explained. “But I think a lot of people could do it, and we need more medical assistants.”

Supporting providers, caring for patients

Also known as a clinical assistant, many MAs are paired with a specific physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant in a clinical setting, and work closely with patients.

“An MA is typically the one who calls you from the waiting room at the doctor’s office,” Robin said. “He or she will take the patient’s weight, height, blood pressure and temperature.” An MA will also briefly discuss the patient’s medical history with them before they see the doctor.

However, rooming patients isn’t all these medical professionals do. MAs also help with performing procedures, administrating medications and vaccines, documenting the patient's medical record, and coordinating additional services such as lab work or x-rays. “We do a lot,” Robin said. Between triaging patients and filling out paperwork, there’s not much downtime, but she sees it as well worth the effort. “It’s really rewarding work,” she said.

The biggest reward for Robin is being able to care for people. Since MAs work so closely with patients, Robin has been able to build relationships and create special bonds over the years. “The patients really make it worthwhile,” she explained.

An attainable, in-demand role

To be employed as an MA at St. Luke's, applicants are required to have an MA certification or license within 120 days of hire. Both Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC) and Lake Superior College (LSC) offer a medical assistant program locally. Each program can be completed in 12 to 15 months.

However, other certifications and licenses qualify applicants for the position at St. Luke’s as well. This includes licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurses (RN), emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics and radiologic technologists (RT).

This was especially good news for Jennifer Kromrey, now an MA at St. Luke’s Medical Arts Clinic. She had received her

EMT Basic certification and license to fulfill requirements and explore emergency medicine while completing her bachelor’s degrees.

“I don’t think many EMTs know they can get a job as an MA at St. Luke’s,” she said. “I still volunteer for an ambulance service, but this is another great way to put the license to use and gain experience in the clinical setting."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, there is high demand for MAs and it’s expected to see dramatic growth in the future. Employment is projected to grow 23 percent from 2018 to 2028. This is much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations which is only 5 percent.

MAs at St. Luke’s

As far as where to seek out employment, Kieona Wilford, recent graduate of LSC’s program and now an MA at St. Luke’s Internal Medicine Associates, recommends St. Luke’s.

“I definitely picked St. Luke’s on purpose. I’ve had nothing but good experiences,” said Kieona. “I love working here. It’s great. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve had so far, and I’ve had a few.”

Robin also recommends working at St. Luke’s. “The people here make it a wonderful place,” she said.

Starting pay for an MA at St. Luke’s is over $17 per hour for new graduates, and more for those with experience. However, the hourly wage is only part of your compensation package. St. Luke’s has a generous medical, dental, retirement and paid time off benefit plan offered to all employees hired into a position that is 0.6 FTE and above.

To learn more about the MA role, contact St. Luke’s Recruiting at 218-249-5595 or recruiting@slhduluth.com, and visit slhduluth.com/MedicalAssistant. D

By Yvonne Michaud Novak

For many, the holidays are all about family. The greatest gift you can give your loved ones is the peace of mind that your final affairs are in order. As we look forward to the upcoming holiday season, it may be a perfect time to discuss your estate planning with your children. There are three main issues that should be addressed: advanced health care directives, your will, and distribution of your personal property. It is best to notify your family members that you want to have this discussion and actually schedule time separate from holiday festivities when everyone is available.

Though this topic may be uncomfortable, it is about making sure that everyone is on the same page with you regarding your long-term goals and ensuring that your wishes will be respected and honored. The conversation should not be aggressive or contentious, but rather open and honest. You may decide that you want to have the discussion with your estate planning attorney present so that he or she can act as a mediator if necessary.

Discussing the advance health care directive is critical as that document is