Medical Assistant Job Overview

Medical assistant jobs involve performing a variety of clinical support and administrative tasks in the offices of physicians and other healthcare practitioners.

On any given day, the duties of a medical assistant may range from scheduling appointments and communicating with insurers to taking patients' vital signs and assisting in minor surgery. Some medical assistants develop specialized skills working in the offices of ophthalmologists, podiatrists or other specialist physicians. Many more use a broad array of skills working for a family physician or internist.

Medical assistants may sometimes help prepare patients for treatments by relaying instructions and advice from doctors. Setting up and maintaining medical equipment, as well as inventorying and ordering supplies are also common responsibilities in medical assistant work.

Medical Assistant Education

Requirements vary by state and practice. Most medical assistants have a high school diploma; many are certified by a national body. A candidate with the Certified Medical Assistant or Registered Medical Assistant designation will have a distinct advantage when looking for medical assistant employment. Formal medical assistant training programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools and technical schools.

Small physicians’ offices are the most likely to hire medical assistants with the least formal education. Major hospitals and medical centers, by contrast, typically require medical assistants to have a higher level of training and certification.

Medical Assistant Job Market

There were more than 527,000 medical assistants in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Medical assistant job opportunities are projected to grow by nearly 163,000 between 2010 and 2020, much faster than the average occupation.

Medical Assistant Salaries

The median medical assistant salary in May 2011 was $29,100, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $24,670 and $35,080; the 90th percentile earned $40,810.