If you thought hospital was one of the safest places you could be, think again. Cast your mind back and you will surely have read about at least one unbelievable medical mistake, which actually happened to an unfortunate patient. While you might think that these are isolated incidents, this isn’t so; for example each year in the United States there are around 1,500 cases of surgical instruments being left inside patients after an operation. Here we look at five of the biggest medical blunders of all time.

I was reading an article about NextCare Urgent Care, which is a nation-wide chain of clinics, and was deeply troubled to see what they were making their employees do.

What the Medical Assistants were forced to do

Amanda Surace isn't your typical person looking to start a career as a Medical Assistant - but then again, maybe she is...

Amanda is exceptionally well qualified in areas outside healthcare. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Education and has taught music to children at the Ardis Music Studio where she worked part-time, as well as teaching public school, private school, and Sunday school classes.

Hello there.

I am assuming, since you're reading this, you're either applying to become a Medical Assistant or at least seriously thinking about it.

You came to the right place.

I spent 2 months wading through and learning about the process to get my Aunt a similar position in the UK. I wrote everything for her including the all-important resume and cover letter. She now has a comfortable job with options for progress everywhere around her.
So I know this stuff.

On the surface it might seem like there isn't much difference between the role of a Physician Assistant and that of a Medical Assistant, however as we dig a little deeper, you will see that there are some very big differences when we look at the job description of Physician Assistant vs Medical Assistant.

Health professionals are constantly faced with stressful situations. Taking a chance to unwind by reading is also an excellent way to grow as a professional. Books that are related to nursing, medical work and similar subject matter can keep the mind sharp while giving insight into the challenges other professionals have faced and their way of handling the situations. A few must-read books are available for all health professionals.

In a move that the AAMA is hailing as a "victory", the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued a final rule on Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. The CMS decided that credentialed medical assistants, including CMAs, will be allowed to enter medication orders into the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system.

You had to be a licensed health care professional to do this work in the past - medical assistants, even certified ones, are not classed as licensed health care professionals.

Here is the final article in our current series on medical careers other than Medical Assisting - Helen Moore gives us some background information about becoming a Dental Assistant.

Healthcare employees have strict requirements for what they are and are not allowed to wear when on the job. Because of the nature of their work, a fast paced environment working with people and potentially hazardous materials and situations, it is vital that doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and all other medical staff be dressed correctly. It is important that any clothing that a healthcare worker purchase be properly fitting, comfortable, and abide by all of the necessary restrictions of healthcare uniforms.

Obviously MA's and RN's do different things, but just exactly what are the practical differences? We take a look and answer the question.

The 4 main areas of difference are: