All careers

Medical Assistants

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth
  • Numerous Job Openings

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.

Skills that matter

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Coordination

How to get there

Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

Also called

  • Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
  • Chiropractor Assistant
  • Doctor's Assistant
  • Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
  • Clinical Medical Assistant
  • Health Assistant

Related careers

See all careers

  • Surgical Assistants

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close…

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct…

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Registered Nurses

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth
    • Numerous Job Openings

    Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records.

    Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

  • Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

    Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group…

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

    Conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic, therapeutic, or research purposes.

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Physical Therapist Aides

    Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in…

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one