1. Home
  2. Careers
  3. Medical Assistants
  4. Required Skills Responsibilities Activities

Medical Assistants Occupation Detailed Description

Medical Assistants career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Medical Assistants

The main tasks and work activities of Medical Assistants are to assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment, interview patients to gather medical information, record vital statistics or other health information, give medications or immunizations. In general, for the Medical Assistants, speaking, active Listening, reading Comprehension, social Perceptiveness and other 11 skills are required.
Medical Assistants Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Medical Assistants jobs. 10.31% of Medical Assistants have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 64.99% of Medical Assistants have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
10.31%
Post-Secondary Certificate
64.99%
Some College Courses
6.85%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
17.85%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
0.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Medical Assistants

  • 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.
  • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
  • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
  • Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Schedule appointments for patients.
  • Change dressings on wounds.
  • Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
  • Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
  • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
  • Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
  • Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
  • Set up medical laboratory equipment.
  • Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.
  • Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTranslating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
  • Interview patients to gather medical information.
  • Record vital statistics or other health information.
  • Give medications or immunizations.
  • Collect biological specimens from patients.
  • Explain technical medical information to patients.
  • Assist practitioners to perform medical procedures.
  • Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
  • Control prescription refills or authorizations.
  • Prepare patient treatment areas for use.
  • Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.
  • Clean medical equipment.
  • Dispose of biomedical waste in accordance with standards.
  • Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
  • Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.
  • Process medical billing information.
  • Perform clerical work in medical settings.
  • Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
  • Conduct diagnostic tests to determine patient health.
  • Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.

Skills and Abilities for Medical Assistants

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Audiometers or accessoriese.g. Audiometers
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizerse.g. Autoclaves
  • Mercury blood pressure unitse.g. Baumanometers
  • Binocular light compound microscopese.g. Binocular light compound microscopes
  • Chemistry analyzerse.g. Blood chemistry analyzers
  • Non vacuum blood collection tubes or containerse.g. Blood collection vials
  • Alcohol analyserse.g. Breathalyzers
  • Butterfly needlese.g. Butterfly needles
  • Canes or cane accessoriese.g. Canes
  • Cast cutters or sawse.g. Cast cutters
  • Benchtop centrifugese.g. Centrifuges
  • Magnetic stripe readers and encoderse.g. Credit card readers
  • Crutches or crutch accessoriese.g. Crutches
  • Specimen collection containere.g. Culturettes
  • Dictation machinese.g. Dictation equipment
  • Medical radiation films or badgese.g. Dosimetry badges
  • Electrocardiography EKG unitse.g. Electrocardiography EKG units
  • Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipmente.g. Electrocautery equipment
  • Electronic blood pressure unitse.g. Electronic blood pressure measuring devices
  • Endotracheal tubese.g. Endotracheal ET tubes
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.