A medical assistant is a healthcare professional who primarily assists physicians in ambulatory or outpatient care settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and medical offices. They are integral to the smooth operation of all medical facilities.
Apart from assisting physicians in the delivery of care services, they are also responsible for performing clinical tasks, such as recording vital signs, tracking medical histories, drawing blood samples, preparing the patients for physical and laboratory assessments, and administering medications, under the discretion of a physician.
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In addition, a medical assistant has administrative roles, such as scheduling patient appointments, medical billing, medical coding, and updating patient records, under the discretion of a physician.
Medical Assisting is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the healthcare industry with an increase in demand in employment of 14% projected between 2022 and 2032.
| Key Facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Educational Requirements | High school diploma, accredited training or work experience. Certification is not required but it is beneficial |
| Median Salary | $38,270 |
| Average Salary Range | $30,390 to $51,710 (depending on experience and location) |
| Number in Employment (2022-2023) | over 764,000 |
| Employment Outlook | Excellent |
| Work Environments | Offices of Physicians, General Hospitals, Offices of Other Health Practitioners, Outpatient Clinics |
| Related Careers | Home Health Aide, Nursing Assistant, Surgical Technologist, Physician Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician |
What is a Certified Medical Assistant?
A Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) is someone who has successfully passed national certification exams. A high school diploma and a post-secondary qualification from an accredited school is usually a requirement to be eligible to apply to sit the certification exams.
Certification is awarded and managed by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Certification is not necessary to work as a medical assistant but to stand out from the crowd and improve their career opportunities many candidates are voluntarily choosing to follow this path.
Alternative Certifications and Credentials include:
- Registered Medical Assistant: A medical assistant with the RMA credential has been recognized by the American Medical Technologists. An RMA must have at least five years of professional experience and have completed at least 720 hours of clinical training.
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant: The certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) credential permits medical assistants to function clinically as well as administratively. A high school diploma and at least one year of work experience under supervision or fulfillment of an accredited medical assistant program are required.
- Nationally Certified Medical Assistant: The National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) examination is required for a nationally certified medical assistant (NCMA). They must have a high school diploma or GED certificate, two years of full-time supervised work experience, and have completed a recognized training program.
How long does it take to become a medical assistant?
Certificate and associate degree programs in medical assisting are available at vocational schools, technical schools, community colleges, and universities throughout the USA and will take between 4 months and 2 years to complete. Classes typically focus on subjects such as anatomy, pharmacology, and medical terminology, and generally include internship opportunities.
Some medical assistants do not have a formal post-secondary education and learn their duties through on-the-job training. To learn more about pathways to becoming a medical assistant click here.
Where do medical assistants work?
Medical assistants are in high demand and primarily work in the following healthcare settings;
- Offices of physicians: Almost 56% of medical assistants work in a physician’s office or clinic where they remain in charge of both administrative and clinical duties. These physicians usually offer patient care for endocrinology, cardiology, family medicine, pediatrics, and geriatrics.
- Hospitals: Approximately 15% of medical assistants work across surgical and general medical hospitals. Medical assistants working in hospitals must be able to handle stressful situations while delivering emergency care services. Their duties alternate between clinical and administrative tasks.
- Outpatient Care: Approximately 9% of medical assistants work in outpatient care centers where the services include laboratory tests, minor surgeries, and psychiatric outpatient care.
- Offices of other health practitioners: Roughly 8% of medical assistants work in the offices of other health practitioners, including those of optometrists, chiropractors, mental health practitioners (except physicians), speech therapists, audiologists, occupational and physical therapists, etc.
Moreover, medical assistants also work across medical research centers, diagnostic laboratories, palliative care facilities, and insurance companies.
Job description and duties
Medical Assistants are an important part of any healthcare facility. They help keep things running smoothly, maintain the lines of communication between patients and their doctors and make sure that the administrative tasks are all kept up to date.
The duty of a medical assistant largely varies across different health specialties, employers, facility preference, and locations. Apart from the duties mentioned above, they are typically responsible for the following:
- Interviewing patients to collect medical information.
- Collecting biological specimens
- Assessing the patient’s physical condition
- Cleaning patient rooms
- Performing diagnostic assessments
- Applying/changing dressings, bandages, or splints
- Disposing of biomedical waste
- Sterilizing medical equipment before use
- Maintaining and updating the inventory
- Sterilizing and preparing treatment areas
- Performing clerical work
- Operating medical equipment
- Cleaning medical equipment after use
- Explaining insurance coverage to patients and their families
- Answering telephones
- Restocking medical and office supplies
The duty of a medical assistant can also be dependent on the particular medical specialization of their employer. For example, those working with optometrists are responsible for teaching the patients about the insertion, removal, and care for contact lenses.
Work environment
In 2022, medical assistants held nearly 764,400 jobs.
A typical work setting is demanding, fast paced and challenging. Most medical assistants spend a considerable amount of time on their feet. Daily tasks can be repetitive, and they may often have to deal with difficult circumstances or hostile patients. Their work demands a high level of social contact working closely with doctors, patients, and other staff.
Work hours can be unpredictable and medical assistants may often be required to work on weekends and evenings.
Characteristics and traits of great medical assistants
A successful medical assistant must possess the following traits:
• Attention to detail: They must record precise patient data and vital signs in health records/charts. They must ask the necessary questions, input the data accurately (using proper medical terminology), and make sure the data is both complete and precise.4
• Analytical abilities: Medical assistants should be able to understand and analyze information from medical records, charts, and prescriptions. They should have a clear understanding of medical terminology and treatment protocols.
• Communication abilities: They are frequently one of the first points of contact for a patient, therefore great communication skills are essential. When scheduling appointments, sharing treatment information, or recording medical history, they must showcase excellent communication skills.
• Compassion: They must be cognizant of the patients and their families while working with patients who have an injury or illness or are in physical and emotional pain. In addition to offering emotional support, they should make the patients feel comfortable. A medical assistant must be kind and sensitive in dealing with challenging situations.4
• Handling pressure: A medical assistant works in an extremely busy environment. They often serve as the initial point of contact for patients and their families, and they must be prepared to manage potentially challenging circumstances professionally and compassionately.
• Honesty: Medical assistants are required to protect patients’ privacy under HIPAA because they work with sensitive health data every day. As a result, they must exercise sound judgment and maintain the greatest levels of morality.
Salary expectations
In May 2022, the median yearly salary for medical assistants was $38,270. The lowest paid 10% medical assistants earned less than $30,390, whereas the highest paid 10% earned more than $51,710. Medical assistants working in outpatient care centers earned $42,520, hospitals earned $40,060, offices of physicians earned $37,970, and offices of other health practitioners earned $35,070 in May 2022. The median hourly salary was $18.40. The top paying states are Washington ($24.21/h), District of Columbia ($24.05/h), Alaska ($23.75/h), California ($23.01/h), and Minnesota ($22.76/h).
Related Items
- How much does a Medical Assistant make?
- How to become a Medical Assistant?
- Find the best medical assistant program for you
Find out more about the role of a medical assistant in your locality by selecting your state from the list below;
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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