What Do Medical Assistants Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Medical Assistants 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. They also record patients’ medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.

Other tasks include:

• Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
• Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
• Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
• Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
• Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
• Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.

We asked Medical Assistants how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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71% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 76% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Medical Assistants prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean. They show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.

A typical day for a Medical Assistant will also include:

• Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
• Record patients’ medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
• Set up medical laboratory equipment.
• Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
• Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.

We asked some Medical Assistants a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	83% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	74% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	76% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	73% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	19% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	38% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Medical Assistants also inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment. They may also change dressings on wounds.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Medical Assistants Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests. They might also Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.

In addition, they Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.

To some Medical Assistants, it is also their responsibility to Schedule appointments for patients.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Medical Assistant, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm

http://www.aama-ntl.org/

http://www.americanmedtech.org/

http://www.nhanow.com/