Career Profile for a Prison Medical Assistant
A medical assistant is a healthcare professional who assists doctors and nurses in providing patient care. In addition to working in hospitals and physicians' offices, medical assistants sometimes find employment in other locations, including prisons or correctional facilities.
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Function
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A prison medical assistant plays the same role as medical assistants employed in other areas do, except that care is provided to inmates at a correctional facility. Medical services for inmates include treatment for illnesses and injuries as well as preventative care.
Features
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Prison medical assistants take prisoners' vital signs and explain medical procedures. Assistants are also responsible for setting up an examination area prior to an appointment and sterilizing equipment afterward.
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Environment
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In some cases, patients may be hostile to prison medical assistants, and some patients are dangerous criminals. Medical assistants often work evenings and weekend shifts in addition to shifts during daylight hours.
Education
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Most prison medical assistants hold a one-year certificate from a medical assistant training program or a two-year associate's degree. While medical assistants are not required to obtain a license to treat patients, many receive voluntary certification through agencies like the American Association of Medical Assistants by passing a written exam.
Compensation
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In November 2009, the average annual salary for prison medical assistants was $46,000, according to Indeed.com.
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