Medical Assistant

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.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA); Chiropractor Assistant; Clinical Medical Assistant; Doctor's Assistant; Health Assistant; Ophthalmic Assistant; Ophthalmological Assistant; Optometric Assistant; Outpatient Surgery Assistant; Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)

Tasks

• 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.
• Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
• Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
• Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
• Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
• Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
• Change dressings on wounds.
• Schedule appointments for patients.

Knowledge

• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Medicine and Dentistry
• Administrative
• Computers and Electronics
• Education and Training
• Public Safety and Security
• Therapy and Counseling

Skills

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Written Expression
• Speech Clarity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering
• Category Flexibility
• Flexibility of Closure
• Perceptual Speed
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Finger Dexterity