Becoming a Medical Assistant was Amber Cameron’s Plan B. After applying and being waitlisted to nursing programs, the 34-year-old landed at A-B Tech over a decade ago thinking she’d use her Medical Assisting certificate as a steppingstone to a nursing career. Eleven years later, Cameron has carved out a meaningful and rewarding career for herself, balancing a management position at Asheville Neurology Specialists with family life and teaching part-time at A-B Tech.
The perks of her career are many. Unlike a nurse, Cameron works a set 8 am- 5:30 pm schedule that leaves weekends for her family. And her position as Clinical Operations Manager offers the chance to interact with a wide variety of people from patients to doctors and pharmaceutical reps. No two days are the same. Cameron does everything from ordering supplies to overseeing medical assisting staff and responding to patient concerns. As someone who loves learning new things, Cameron is constantly challenged by her coworkers, a mix that includes physicians, nurses, and physicians' assistants. The job is a mix of clinical and administrative work, which allows her to use both organizational and people skills.
“I feel I truly am able to make a difference in someone’s healthcare journey, even if it’s just to make someone smile or to help with a question,” she said.
When asked which personality traits are best suited for medical assisting, Cameron said that those who love variety would thrive in the field. After graduating, there are many job options including medical coder, patient care coordinator, and phlebotomist. In their daily work medical assistants do everything from instructing patients about medication and diet to removing sutures and giving electrocardiograms. Being organized and open to learning new things, Cameron said, is what helped her get promoted into her current position, which she juggles along with teaching part-time at A-B Tech. By teaching in the college's Medical Assisting program and sitting on the board, Cameron feels she’s giving back to the school and community.
The field, she said, is ever-changing and growing rapidly. “[I love] knowing I can spread knowledge and valuable resources to colleagues in the same field… and bring more people into the profession so quality healthcare continues into future generations.”