What is Compassion and Empathy, and Do You Have it?

Are you interested in becoming a medical assistant? Medical knowledge and clinical skills are only a part of what you need to be a successful and effective medical assistant, empathy and compassion are required. These attributes will help you become more aware of every situation you encounter

Healthcare is fast-paced, and as a medical assistant, you are often the first member of the healthcare team that patients interact with. Regardless of what the patient is dealing with, empathy and compassion will make it easier to connect with them. This helps to relax so that they are less scared and more receptive to any questions you have for them to answer.

If you want to become a medical assistant, evaluating empathy and compassion should be one of your first steps. This will help ensure that you have the interpersonal capabilities needed to provide the highest quality of care to every patient.

Why Do People Become Medical Assistants?

There are numerous professional and personal reasons to become a medical assistant. Most people want to impact their communities and help others in a meaningful way. As a medical assistant, you will get to work with a diverse array of people and  play a key role in their health. This is highly rewarding and gives you a chance to give back to your community.

There is a strong demand for medical assistants throughout the country, so medical assistants enjoy both job growth and stability. You can also specialize in geriatrics or pediatrics, allowing you to tailor your career to the population you want to work with.

Another reason people want to become medical assistants is because no two days at work are alike. This keeps things exciting and helps to reduce your risk of burnout.

What is Compassion?

Compassion is best defined as an emotional response that understands and recognizes another person’s suffering. It also means that a person has a genuine desire to reduce another person’s suffering. This goes beyond just feeling sympathy. When you have strong compassion, you feel driven to take action to assist others. While compassion is important in all areas of life, it is especially crucial for medical assistants.

When you have compassion, you can be there for patients when they are in distress by showing genuine kindness and offering comfort. You can actively listen without passing any judgment on the patient. This shows them that you sincerely care about their well-being. It will also make your patients feel understood, build trust, and help patients know they are supported

Compassion has a substantial impact on patient outcomes. When patients feel physical and emotional support, they are more likely to follow medical advice and actively participate in treatment.

What is Empathy?

When you have empathy, you can share and understand the feelings that someone else is experiencing. In essence, you can put yourself in another person’s shoes. Empathy goes far deeper than just acknowledging what someone is struggling with. Instead, you genuinely connect with the emotions that someone is experiencing.

As an empathetic medical assistant, you can relate to your patients regardless of their emotional state. This makes it possible to offer the support necessary for their specific needs. When you create an emotional connection, you will bond with your patients and be able to communicate with them more effectively.

When you care for patients with empathy, they feel understood and heard. This improves their experience and helps promote positive health outcomes. Strong empathy can also help medical assistants resolve conflicts with people of all backgrounds. To show empathy, be open-minded, listen actively, and never judge your patients.

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Medical Assistant?

You will encounter a wide variety of situations as a medical assistant, and you need to handle them appropriately. Compassion and empathy will help. When you have these skills, you can stay calm, which will help to calm your patients. High levels of empathy and compassion also make it possible to interact with family members who could be in shock or sad over a loved one’s diagnosis.

Empathy and compassion are among the most critical attributes for medical assistants’ success. They ensure that you can provide a supportive healthcare environment and patient-centered care. When you have compassion, you can reach patients on a personal level and better connect with them. This is crucial to giving them what they need to feel comfortable when you and your team care for them. Empathy ensures that you can help patients through hard times even if you have not experienced the same situation before.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, empathy and compassion elevate you as a medical assistant. You will be able to provide better care for your patients and work better well with the members of your healthcare team.

Medical Assistant Program

Meridian College offers a hands–on Medical Assistant training program taught by experienced school faculty who know how to prepare you for the daily challenges you’ll face on the job. From assisting doctors with patients to critical administrative tasks, our experienced teachers will train you for a rewarding new career.

Contact Meridian College today to learn more about becoming a medical assistant.