Medical Assistants
Significant human skills needed
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
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.
Core Tasks
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
- Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
- Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
- Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
- Change dressings on wounds.
- Schedule appointments for patients.
- Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
- Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
- Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
- Set up medical laboratory equipment.
Supplemental Tasks (1)
- Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.
Education & Training
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (34)
Tools & Equipment (74)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Health Data & Administration Education
Resume Builder
Select key tasks to generate action-oriented resume bullets for Medical Assistants positions.
Your Resume Bullets
Related Occupations
Show all 20 related occupations
Real Talk
Hear from real Medical Assistantss about their work: