History of Medical Assisting
Medical Assistants have been around since the beginning of time, though the job title was not prominent or prevalent. Ancient doctors like Hippocrates and Galen are known for being the founders of Western medicine. Both of them (as well as other ancient doctors) were often surrounded by several students and assistants performing what we would call administrative or clinical tasks. Throughout history, physicians have relied on assistants to support them in their day to day tasks, they were not usually qualified professionals or formally educated. Medical Assistants as a job has become recognized only in the late 20th Century. In 1955, after the second world war, a number of ex-service men with sound medical knowledge (due to the army experience), but no qualifications, founded the American Association of Medical Assistants, with the hope to increase professionalism in this field. Now, Medical Assistants have a formal recognition through certain certification exams and training programs.