When you receive your certification through a vocational school as a licensed medical assistant and begin to evaluate your career prospects, you'll often find that you have a couple of choices. You may wish to apply for a job at a large hospital in your city, or you may look to get work at a smaller clinic. The latter definitely has some benefits, especially if you'll be working near your home and helping members of your community. However, there are lots of advantages to thinking seriously about getting a job in a large hospital. Here are some reasons that this environment can be better for new medical assistants than smaller clinics.
More Job Opportunities
One of the simplest reasons that working in a large hospital is better than a small clinic is that there are more job opportunities for medical assistants. A small clinic may only have one or two medical assistants on staff, and if these people have no plans of leaving, any job openings at this location may not occur for years. A hospital, meanwhile, requires large numbers of medical assistants in virtually all of its departments. This can mean that there are frequently job openings for someone with your qualifications.
More Chances to Network
As a new medical assistant, you're likely eager to put your classroom skills to the test—this may mean that you're not currently focused on upward mobility. However, in a hospital environment, you'll have the chance to meet more doctors, clinic administrators, and other healthcare professionals. Networking with these people can help your career. For example, if you get a contract position for a year, but establish a connection with a doctor in another department at the hospital, you may be able to start working for him or her once your current contract is up. This degree of networking isn't likely in a small clinic environment.
More Opportunities to Work Overtime
As someone who is newly trained, energetic, and eager to prove yourself in this field, you might love the idea of working overtime. Such opportunities are frequently available at hospitals, given their long hours and the constant healthcare demands of the community. Many neighborhood clinics have set hours, which means that your desire to pick up overtime shifts may simply not be a reality. At a hospital, however, your department may work seven hours a day—this means that you may be able to work more than a standard workweek if doing so appeals to you.
If you're unsure about where to take your career next, contact services such as Cy Fair Career Institute.
