Medical Assistant

Professions:: Medical Assistant Medical assistants have a great amount of variety in their jobs and are cross-trained to perform many administrative and clinical duties. Below is a quick overview of the types of tasks a medical assistant does during a typical workday. Duties often vary from office to office depending on location, size, and medical specialty.

Administrative medical assistant duties may include:

• Using computer applications
• Answering telephones
• Greeting patients
• Updating and filing patient medical records
• Coding and filling out insurance forms
• Scheduling appointments
• Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
• Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping

Clinical duties of medical assistants often vary according to state law and may include:

• Explaining treatment procedures to patients
• Preparing patients for examination
• Assisting the physician during the exam
• Collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
• Performing basic laboratory tests
• Instructing patients about medication and special diets
• Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
• Authorizing prescription refills as directed
• Drawing blood
• Taking electrocardiograms
• Removing sutures and changing dressings

More about Medical Assistants: Medical assistants are instrumental in helping patients feel at ease in the doctor's office and often explain the physician's instructions. If you have good communication skills and are often appreciated for your caring manner, then you might be well suited for a career in medical assisting.

Medical Assistant Training programs: Many medical assistants train at traditional vocational schools, junior colleges or online distance education programs.

Online distance education for Medical Assistants: St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants now offers online distance education training for medical assistants. You can check out the school website at www.medassistant.org.

Medical assistants as healthcare professionals: Medical Assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. Medical assistants find employment in private and public hospitals, as well as inpatient and outpatient facilities, medical doctors, etc. Given their role as healthcare professionals the demand for medical assistants is only on the rise.