Medical Assistant

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  Healthcare Support Occupations

Medical Assistant

Also Called: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Chiropractor Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Doctor's Assistant, Health Assistant, Ophthalmic Assistant, Ophthalmological Assistant, Optometric Assistant, Outpatient Surgery Assistant, Registered Medical Assistant (RMA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Chiropractor Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Doctor's Assistant, Health Assistant, Ophthalmic Assistant, Ophthalmological Assistant, Optometric Assistant, Outpatient Surgery Assistant, Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

What they do

Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.

$33,500
Starting Salary (2023)
$42,000
Median Salary (2023)
13.9%
Projected Job Growth
763,040
Employment (2022)

Typical Tasks

Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.

A day in the life

What kind of work is this?

Conventional
Organized, Procedural Work
Social
Working with people
Realistic
Practical, Physical Work

What personality traits do you need to succeed?

Integrity
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Concern for Others
Stress Tolerance
Adaptability/Flexibility

What key skills are needed for this job?

Social Perceptiveness
Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Monitoring

Expected Knowledge

English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Common Activities

Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

More Info

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