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Important Career Information
Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the 2008-18 decade.
Job prospects should be excellent.
About 62 percent of medical assistants work in offices of physicians.
Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1-year or 2-year programs.
Salary: How Much Do Medical Assistants Make?
The pay of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual pay of medical assistants were $28,300 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent were paid between $23,700 and $33,050. The lowest 10 percent were paid less than $20,600, and the highest 10 percent were paid more than $39,570. Median annual pay in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical assistants in May 2008 were:
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,720
Colleges, universities, and professional schools 28,820
Offices of physicians 28,710
Outpatient care centers 28,570
Offices of other health practitioners 25,240
What does a Medical Assistant do? Medical Assistant Jobs, Job Description, and Responsibilities
A medical assistant performs administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. A medical assistant should not be confused with a physician assistant, who examines, diagnoses, and treats patients under the direct supervision of a physician.
The duties of a medical assistant varies from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually are generalists, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Medical assistants in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.
A medical assistant performs many administrative duties, including answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients' medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping.
Clinical duties vary according to State law and include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, explaining treatment procedures to patients, preparing patients for examination, and assisting the physician during the examination. A medical assistant collects and prepares laboratory specimens or performs basic laboratory tests on the premises, disposes of contaminated supplies, and sterilizes medical instruments. A medical assistant instructs patients about medications and special diets, prepares and administers medications as directed by a physician, authorizes drug refills as directed, telephones prescriptions to a pharmacy, draws blood, prepares patients for x rays, takes electrocardiograms, removse sutures, and changes dressings.
Medical assistants also may arrange examining room instruments and equipment, purchase and maintain supplies and equipment, and keep waiting and examining rooms neat and clean.
An Ophthalmic medical assistant and a podiatric medical assistant are examples of specialized assistants who have additional duties. Ophthalmic medical assistants help ophthalmologists provide eye care. They conduct diagnostic tests, measure and record vision, and test eye muscle function. An ophthalmic medical assistant also shows patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses, and they apply eye dressings. Under the direction of the physician, ophthalmic medical assistants may administer eye medications. Assistants also maintain optical and surgical instruments and may assist the ophthalmologist in surgery. A podiatric medical assistant makes castings of feet, exposes and develops x rays, and assists podiatrists in surgery.
Job Working Conditions for Medical Assistants
A medical assistant works in well-lighted, clean environments. Assistants constantly interact with other people and may have to handle several responsibilities at once.
A full-time medical assistant usually works a regular 40-hour week. Many work part time, evenings, or weekends.
Medical Assistant Training, College Programs, and Advancement
Both the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) accredit programs for medical assistants. In 2005, there were over 500 medical assistant programs accredited by CAAHEP and about 170 accredited by ABHES. The Committee on Accreditation for Ophthalmic Medical Personnel approved 17 programs for ophthalmic medical assistants and 2 programs in ophthalmic clinical assistants.
Although medical assistants are not licensed, some States require them to take a test or a course before they can perform certain tasks, such as taking x rays or giving injections.
Employers prefer to hire certified medical assistants who have passed a national examination, indicating that the medical assistant meets certain standards of competence. The American Association of Medical Assistants awards the Certified Medical Assistant credential; American Medical Technologists awards the Registered Medical Assistant credential; the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants awards the Podiatric Medical Assistant, Certified credential; and the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology awards credentials at three levels: Certified Ophthalmic Assistant; Certified Ophthalmic Technician; and Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist.
A medical assistant deals with the public. Medical assistants must be able to put patients at ease and explain physicians' instructions. Assistants must respect the confidential nature of medical information. Clinical duties require a reasonable level of manual dexterity and visual acuity.
A medical assistant may be able to advance to office manager. They may qualify for a variety of administrative support careers or may teach medical assisting. With additional education, some assistants enter other health careers, such as nursing and medical technology.
Where are the Jobs? Medical Assistant Jobs
Medical assistants held about 387,000 jobs in 2004. About 6 out of 10 assistants worked in offices of physicians; about 14 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. The rest worked mostly in outpatient care centers, public and private educational services, other ambulatory health care services, State and local government agencies, employment services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and nursing care facilities.
Job Outlook and Job Opportunities for Medical Assistants
Employment growth for medical assistants is driven by the increase in the number of group practices, clinics, and other health care facilities that need a high proportion of support personnel, particularly for flexible medical assistants who can handle both administrative and clinical duties. A medical assistant works primarily in outpatient settings, a rapidly growing sector of the health care industry.
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In view of the preference of many health care employers for trained personnel, job prospects should be best for a medical assistant with formal training or experience, particularly for a medical assistant with certification.
Employment of medical assistants is expected to grow much faster than average for all careers through the year 2014 as the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population. Increasing utilization of medical assistants in the rapidly growing health care industry will further stimulate job growth. In fact, medical assistants is projected to be one of the fastest growing careers over the 2004-14 period.
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Most employers prefer graduates of formal programs in medical assisting. Such programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community and junior colleges. Postsecondary programs usually last either 1 year, resulting in a certification or diploma, or 2 years, resulting in an associate degree. Medical assistant courses cover anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, as well as typing, transcription, recordkeeping, accounting, and insurance processing. Students learn laboratory techniques, clinical and diagnostic procedures, pharmaceutical principles, the administration of medications, and first aid. Medical assistant students study office practices, patient relations, medical law, and ethics. Accredited programs include an internship that provides practical experience in physicians' offices, hospitals, or other health care facilities.
Available Programs:
In view of the preference of many health care employers for trained personnel, job prospects should be best for a medical assistant with formal training or experience, particularly for a medical assistant with certification.
