Doctors Need You!

Explore medical assistant schools! The quickest
way to start your medical assistant training is to use
our search by ZIP code box below to find a school.

Zip Code: find school - enter ZIP codeenter your ZIP
Subject:
Degree: 
Type: Online  Campus  Both

                                          

  

 

 

 

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

The medical assistant serves as an important link between the patient and the doctor. They provide essential support in the areas of medical office administration and management, patient care and lab procedures, patient care and customer services, just to name a few. 

"I have noticed that there are many medical assistants that are unemployed due to lack of certification, not enough job experience and outdated skills!"

Experienced medical assistants with recognized certifications and who are on the up-and-up on their skills should have no problem landing a good job in a variety of healthcare settings, including medical offices, clinics, laboratories, blood banks, state health facilities and other places where licensed healthcare practitioners, clinicians and therapists need a helping hand. When applying for positions the key is a well written medical assistant resume and cover letter, or a properly filled out online job application to match the job description.


Where can I work as a Medical Assistant?

Medical Assistant can work in almost any medical facility where they are supervised by the physician who hired them. Doctors and senior medical staff train, supervise and monitor their medical assistant's activities on the job. The neat thing about being a medical assistant is that the opportunities in the healthcare and medical services are so wide open. There are countless special focus areas, such as family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, internal, gynecology, urology, dermatology, cardiology... you name it, and you can work in so many places, from small single-provider to large group practices, to ambulatory health clinics and large regional medical centers—it's all out there and available to you in your role as a medical assistant.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants (PA) also like to have at least one or two medical assistant on their staff to keep the office running smoothly and efficiently. It is their responsibility to keep the office's work flow going and contribute to the doctor's ability to provide efficient patient care.

Medical Assistants Responsibilities: 

Schedule and confirm appointments

Prepare patients for examination

Explain treatment procedures

Assist during the examinations

Administer medications

Perform diagnostic screening tests

Change wound dressings

Remove sutures

Collect laboratory specimens

Perform selected clinical and administrative duties

Order and restock supplies

Bookkeeping and basic accounting

Insurance billing and coding

 

 

Prepare patients for examination and treatments

Take patient histories and vital signs

Prepare exam and treatment rooms and set up equipment

Perform venipunctures, obtain throat cultures

EKGs and other procedures as directed

Follow CLIA, OSHA and JCAHO regulations

Order and maintain lab and medical supplies and equipment

Attend required meetings and participates in committees as required

Participate in professional development activities

Data entry and typing

Maintain patient files, records and other information

The medical assistant duties and responsibilities listed above are only a small example of duties and responsibilities as a Medical Assistant.