Job Description of a Medical Assistant in Urology
Urology is the study of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, urethra and bladder. In this field, physicians and other health professionals are concerned with how the aforementioned organs are functioning to remove waste in the body. Those who specialize in diagnosing and treating problems with the urinary system are called urologists. Urologists work side by side with urology medical assistants. Urology medical assistants are highly trained and often perform the same work urologists do.
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General Duties
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Like other physician assistants, urology medical assistants perform physical examinations, take patient histories and order lab tests, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Education-Portal.com. Under the guidance of the urologist, urology medical assistants come up with a diagnosis for the urology patient and develop a treatment plan. According to urologyweb.org, urology medical assistants also alert the urologist if they find a problem that prevents a urology patient from receiving a specific treatment or procedure. They assist urologists with urology procedures such as penile prosthetic implantations, nephrectomies, radical prostatectomies, cystectomies, orchiectomies and artificial urethral sphincter implantations. Urology medical assistants also perform follow-up care and conduct urology research.
Education
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According to the BLS and the American Academy of Physician Assistants, physician assistants, including urology medical assistants, usually need a college degree. In addition, urology medical assistants need to have completed a two-year urology medical assistant program. The college degree and medical assistant program cover courses such as biochemistry, medical ethics, anatomy, pharmacology and urology techniques. Upon completing the medical assistant program, urology medical assistants must take and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, which grants them a medical assistant license (required by every state). Urology medical assistants have to complete a minimum of 100 hours of continuing education every two years and pass a recertification exam (or complete an equivalent urology program) every six years. Urology medical assistants should have previous experience in the health care industry (e.g., nursing).
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Skills
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Urology medical assistants often act as primary care providers when the urologist is unavailable. They thus should be self-motivated, have excellent communication skills and bedside manner and make decisions quickly in emergencies.
Work Environment
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According to the BLS, physician assistants such as urology medical assistants work in well-lit, clean facilities such as hospitals and clinics. However, they may need to stand for extended periods, especially to complete surgical procedures. They have to deal with the fast pace of medicine and may need to deal with the loss of patients.
Wage and Job Outlook
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According to the BLS, the job outlook for physician assistants is excellent, with the field predicted to grow nearly 40 percent through 2018. These workers can expect to make a median annual income of more than $81,000, according to 2008 data.
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References
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