| The role of the medical assistant is to perform | | | | medical assistants or employees with formal training |
| administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of | | | | in the field. They may take classes at local junior |
| physicians and other health practitioners running | | | | colleges, vocational schools, technical career schools, |
| smoothly. The administrative duties of a may include | | | | healthcare institutions or online distance education |
| answering telephones, scheduling appointments, filing | | | | programs. In order to enable medical assisting |
| medical records, filling out insurance forms, arranging | | | | personnel to enhance their knowledge, skills and |
| laboratory tests, handling billing and office | | | | professionalism many schools such as the St. |
| bookkeeping. | | | | Augustine Medical Assistant School at now have |
| Many also assist in various clinical duties which are | | | | online programs specially designed for your comfort |
| often regulated by local to state laws and office | | | | and affordability. |
| policies. Such clinical duties for an assistant may | | | | Traditional training programs are on the rise across |
| include taking medical histories, recording vital signs, | | | | the United States and the according to the United |
| explaining procedures to patients, preparing patients | | | | States Department of Labor "Employment of medical |
| for examination and many times assisting the | | | | assistants is expected to grow much faster than the |
| physician during the patient examination. They may | | | | average for all occupations through the year 2014 as |
| assist in preparing laboratory specimens, perform | | | | the health care industry expands because of |
| basic laboratory tests on the premises under the | | | | technological advances in medicine and the growth |
| supervision of a physician, sterilizing medical | | | | and aging of the population." . The earnings will vary |
| instruments and disposing of contaminated office | | | | depending on their experience, skill level, and location. |
| supplies. Some offices will have assistants instruct | | | | The current median annual earnings of is $24,610. |
| patients about medications, discuss special diets, | | | | Also, many are able to advance to office managers |
| prepare, telephone prescriptions to the local | | | | and they may qualify for a variety of administrative |
| pharmacy, prepare patients for x-rays, assist in the | | | | support occupations. Some will enter other health |
| taking of electrocardiograms (EKGs) and basic minor | | | | occupations, such as nursing and medical technology. |
| healthcare procedure such as dressing changes. | | | | If you're considering a Medical Assistant career, you |
| Although assistants are not licensed, some states | | | | should be neat and well groomed, and display a |
| require them to take or state class before they can | | | | pleasant and courteous manner, especially since you |
| perform certain tasks such as taking x-rays, EKGs or | | | | will be dealing with the public. You must also respect |
| giving injections. | | | | the confidential nature of medical information. For |
| Many medical assistants are trained on the job, | | | | many interested in a career in this field this is an ideal |
| however often employers prefer to hire experienced | | | | job. |