Medical Assistants

What Medical Assistants Do

Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in hospitals, offices of physicians, and other healthcare facilities.

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Work Environment

Most medical assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

How to Become a Medical Assistant

Most medical assistants have postsecondary education such as a certificate. Others enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training.

Pay

The median annual wage for medical assistants was $34,800 in May 2019.

Job Outlook

Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The growth of the aging baby-boom population will continue to increase demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by physicians. As a result, physicians will hire more assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.

Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Their duties vary with the location, specialty, and size of the practice.

Duties

Medical assistants typically do the following:

• Record patient history and personal information
• Measure vital signs, such as blood pressure
• Help physicians with patient examinations
• Give patients injections or medications as directed by physicians and as permitted by state law
• Schedule patient appointments
• Prepare blood samples for laboratory tests
• Enter patient information into medical records

Medical assistants take and record patients’ personal information. They must be able to keep that information confidential and discuss it only with other medical personnel who are involved in treating the patient.

Electronic health records (EHRs) are changing some medical assistants’ jobs. More and more physicians are adopting EHRs, moving all their patient information from paper to electronic records. Assistants need to learn the EHR software that their office uses.

Medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants, who examine, diagnose, and treat patients under a physician’s supervision.

In larger practices or hospitals, medical assistants may specialize in either administrative or clinical work.

Administrative medical assistants often fill out insurance forms or code patients’ medical information. They often answer telephones and schedule patient appointments.

Clinical medical assistants have different duties, depending on the state where they work. They may do basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. They may have additional responsibilities, such as instructing patients about medication or special diets, preparing patients for x rays, removing stitches, drawing blood, or changing dressings.

Some medical assistants specialize according to the type of medical office where they work. The following are examples of specialized medical assistants:

Ophthalmic medical assistants and optometric assistants help ophthalmologists and optometrists provide eye care. They show patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses. Ophthalmic medical assistants also may help an ophthalmologist in surgery.

Podiatric medical assistants work closely with podiatrists (foot doctors). They may make castings of feet, expose and develop x rays, and help podiatrists in surgery.

Medical assistants held about 725,200 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of medical assistants were as follows:

Offices of physicians	57%
Hospitals; state, local, and private	15
Outpatient care centers	8
Offices of chiropractors	4

Work Schedules

Most medical assistants work full time. Some work evenings, weekends, or holidays to cover shifts in medical facilities that are always open.

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of medical assistants.

	Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2019
	Dental Assistants	Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$40,080
	Dental Hygienists	Dental hygienists examine patients for signs of oral diseases, such as gingivitis, and provide preventive care, including oral hygiene.	Associate’s degree	$76,220
	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic nursing care.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$47,480
	Medical Records and Health Information Technicians	Medical records and health information technicians organize and manage health information data.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$42,630
	Nursing Assistants and Orderlies	Nursing assistants provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas.	See How to Become One	$29,640
	Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides	Occupational therapy assistants and aides help patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.	See How to Become One	$59,200
	Pharmacy Technicians	Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals.	High school diploma or equivalent	$33,950
	Phlebotomists	Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$35,510
	Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides	Physical therapist assistants and aides are supervised by physical therapists to help patients regain movement and manage pain after injuries and illnesses.	See How to Become One	$48,990
	Psychiatric Technicians and Aides	Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental illness and developmental disabilities.	See How to Become One	$32,020

For more information about becoming a medical assistant, including information on certification, visit

American Association of Medical Assistants

American Medical Technologists

National Center for Competency Testing

National Healthcareer Association

Institute for Credentialing Excellence

American Optometric Association

American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants

Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology

American Medical Certification Association

For lists of accredited educational programs in medical assisting, visit

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

Medical Assistant Schools Directory

O*NET

Medical Assistants