Medical Assistant III - Orthopedic Surgery

About the role

• Location
• SAINT LOUIS, MO 63129
• Scheduled Hours
• 40

Position Summary

Join an innovative, newly launched Fluoroscopy Suite at WashU in Sunset Hills, where you'll work alongside world-class Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians and a multidisciplinary team dedicated to delivering exceptional musculoskeletal care. This unique Medical Assistant III opportunity combines pre- and post-procedure patient care, hands-on procedural support, patient education, care coordination, and operational leadership in a state-of-the-art environment.

You'll play a pivotal role throughout the patient's procedural journey-from preparation and education, through fluoroscopy-guided procedures, to recovery and follow-up. You'll collaborate closely with PM&R physicians, registered nurses, radiologic technologists, and other clinical partners to ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centered care.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced Medical Assistant who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is excited to help build and shape a new procedural service while providing high-touch, specialized patient care.

Patient Care Duties

• Pre-, Intra-, & Post-Procedure Care: Complete patient intake (vitals, med reconciliation, history), prepare sterile fields and procedure rooms, and assist physicians with patient positioning and hands-on procedural support during fluoroscopy-guided procedures.
• Recovery & Discharge: Monitor post-procedure recovery (vitals, pain scores, mobility), provide provider-directed discharge instructions, and perform follow-up calls to track recovery and screen for complications.
• Operational Flexibility: Float between pre/post-procedure bays and procedure rooms based on volume; assist with local wide-awake hand procedures as assigned.

Communication and Documentation

• EPIC Documentation & Pre-Procedure Prep: Perform pre-procedure chart reviews (orders, imaging, consents), obtain prior authorizations, and document vitals, care activities, and recovery notes accurately in the EMR.
• Patient & Team Communication: Conduct pre-procedure confirmation/instruction calls, manage patient messages, and coordinate daily scheduling and patient flow with PM&R, Radiology, and Nursing teams.
• Safety & Escalation: Promptly report clinical concerns, missing documentation, or potential complications to licensed clinical personnel.

Equipment and Supplies

• Room Maintenance & Turnover: Prepare, clean, restock, and turn over fluoroscopy procedure rooms and recovery bays to support efficient patient throughput.
• Inventory Management: Monitor clinical inventory, track supply usage, and report shortages to ensure continuous readiness.
• Safety Compliance: Adhere strictly to radiation safety, infection control, blood-borne pathogen standards, and required PPE usage.

Other Functions

• Workflow & Quality Improvement: Serve as a clinical resource to resolve workflow barriers, improve room utilization, and participate in quality initiatives for patient safety and experience.
• Compliance & Professionalism: Maintain HIPAA compliance, OSHA standards, departmental certifications, and WashU/BJH policies while fostering a collaborative environment.

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal office environment.
• Exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• Requires protective devices.
• Patient care setting.
• Direct patient care setting.

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at desk or table.
• Typically standing or walking.
• Typically bending, crouching, or stooping.
• Occasional lifting (25 lbs. or less).

Equipment

• Office equipment.
• Clinical/diagnostic equipment.

Additional information

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education

High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or combination of education and/or experience.

Certifications /Professional Licenses

The list below may include all acceptable certifications, professional licenses and issuers. More than one credential, certification or professional license may be required depending on the role.

Basic Life Support - American Heart Association, Basic Life Support - American Red Cross, Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) - National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) - American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), Licensed Practical Nurse - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Licensed Practical Nurse - Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) - American Medical Technologists (AMT), Registered Nurse - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Registered Nurse - Missouri Division of Professional Registration

Work Experience: Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Skills: Not Applicable

Driver's License: A driver's license is not required for this position.

Required Qualifications

• Registered or Certified Medical Assistant with three years of related work experience (examples of related fields include military medic, emergency medical technicians, Nurse's Aide, physical therapy and nurse technicians, and certified athletic trainers). Medical Assistant credentials must be obtained from in-person proctored exams from the following certifying bodies: NHA, AAMA or AMT. In-person proctored credentials from other certifying bodies may be accepted upon approval from Human Resources. Substitutions include:
• Graduate of an accredited nursing program (such as RN/LPN), or comparable allied health training program with a minimum of one year of relevant experience.
• Ability to show proof of a Medical Assistant certification/registration with successful completion of certification exam (online proctored exams are not sufficient to meet the credential requirement) within six months of hire date (or within a shorter time frame if noted by hiring manager).
• Basic Life Support certification (Online Basic Life Support certifications, those without a skills assessment component, are not sufficient to meet the Basic Life Support requirements).

Preferred Qualifications

Education: No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications /Professional Licenses

• No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
• Work Experience: Medical Assistant (3 Years), Supervisory (1 Year)

Skills

• Anatomy, Communication, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Interactive Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, Medical Terminology, Physiology, Telephone Communications
• Grade
• C07-H

Salary Range $19.93 - $29.93 / Hourly

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.