Medical Assistant's Appearance

Did you know? Appearance can positively, or negatively influence the opinion one has of the medical assistant, and the overall reputation of the facility. It is important to act professionally and appropriately around patients, doctors, and other health care professionals. Both, professional appearance and attitude are VERY important. Employers want their medical assistants to maintain a neat and professional appearance, adhere to office standards and rules, live by the medical code of ethics, embrace the doctor's philosophy and mission, and become a well integrated member of the medical office team as a whole. Therefore, the medical assistant wears clean scrubs, and clean (often white) shoes, a name tag, and professional pin. They keep their hair nicely styled, preferably up and away from the collar, their fingernails clean and trimmed, very little jewelry, and no heavy perfumes.

Expectations

Medical assistants are primarily expected to greet and screen arriving patients of the doctor. People arriving in a medical office are often sick, or have health concerns. This demands good communication and a caring attitude by the staff to provide optimal patient care.

Duties

Medical assistants take a set of vital signs, write down a short statement of their chief complaints, and list current medications, and escort them to an examination room, and are expected to handle some light in-office medical billing and transcriptions. They also mus understand basic principles about the diseases, surgical techniques, medical procedures, terminology, and medications used in the particular office they work.

Dependability

A big part of professionalism is being punctual and well organized and prepared; also education, appearance, as well as having tolerance, respect, and compassion for others.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes, and to identify with and understand another person's feelings. Patients who are ill, frustrated, or frightened appreciate empathetic medical assistants. They expect health care personnel to understand, be aware of and sensitive to their feelings and thoughts without having to explicitly articulating these feelings.

Attire

Footwear

Shoes should be sturdy, clean, and comfortable to stand and walk in. White nursing shoes work best, as well as white sneakers, although other colors are okay, too. Important is that the shoe has closed toes and a heel strap, if open in the back, and velcro closures are thought of as more sanitary than shoe laces.

Jewelry

Jewelry should be subtle and tasteful. Rings should be limited to just one engagement or wedding band for both appearance and safety. Wristbands and bracelets should not dangle loosely and get in the way of procedures.