These health care workers are generally the first people you encounter in physicians' offices and other ambulatory or intermediate care settings such as clinics or urgent care. They are multiskilled and perform many duties, both clerical and clinical.

Duties, Activities, and Scope of Practice

Medical assistants perform a variety of functions in order to keep things running smoothly in their particular health care setting. These can include answering phones and scheduling appointments, receiving patients and copayments, ordering supplies, and stocking cabinets. In addition to these responsibilities, medical assistants may also help to obtain patient medical histories, take height and weight measurements as well as vital signs, and prepare patients for examinations.

They may also be trained to draw blood samples, perform routine tests, and take EKGs. They may assist the physician in procedures and examinations, apply dressings, and provide necessary instructions to patients regarding tests, medications, and treatments.

Medical assistants also maintain examination rooms and waiting rooms in a neat, clean, and orderly fashion. They sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.

Education and Training

A high school diploma or GED is required. The majority of medical assistants are trained in formal programs offered by community colleges and vocational schools. Programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Community college programs offer an associate's degree and take two years to complete. Vocational schools and other programs offer certificates or diplomas and are about one year in length.

Programs also cover written and oral communication, medical law and ethics, business correspondence, insurance procedures, and billing. Supervised clinical practice and externship are also part of the curriculum.

Licensure/Certification

Certification or registration is completely voluntary but does improve the hiring capabilities and often increases the salary for medical assistants.

Medical assistants can be certified by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) or the American Medical Technologists (AMT). The AAMA requires the candidate to have graduated from an accredited program and pass a written competency exam. Those who successfully complete this process become certified and can use the title C.M.A.

The AMT offers registration to medical assistants who have completed an accredited program or an armed-forces training course and pass the certification examination. High school graduates who received on-the-job training and have five years' experience as a medical assistant can also apply to take the AMT exam and become registered.

Work Settings and Salaries

Salaries vary depending on education, experience, duties, the volume of the physician's practice, as well as geographic area. The median salary for 2004 as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor was $24,610. The salary range was between $18,010 and $34,650.

Medical assistants work primarily in physicians' offices, either for physician groups or those in private practice. They may also work in clinics, urgent-care facilities, and other intermediate care facilities.

Medical assistants work forty-hour weeks, but hours depend on the hours physicians work. Some work evening, weekend, and sometimes holiday hours to accommodate the needs of patients.

Career Potential and Additional Information

Medical assisting is expected to grow faster than any other occupation over the next decade. This is due in part to the cost constraints from insurance and other reimbursement, forcing physicians to eliminate nurses in their offices and to consolidate responsibilities of their staff. The growing and aging population will have an increased need for medical services, and therefore the outlook for medical assistants, especially those formally educated and certified, will continue to grow.

For further information on a career as a medical assistant, contact the American Association of Medical Assistants. Their Web site is www.aama-ntl.org. Their address is 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1575, Chicago, IL 60606-2903.