Medical Assistants (MA’s) work in the offices of physicians, chiropractors, podiatrists, and other healthcare practitioners performing clinical and administrative tasks. An MA’s duties vary from one office to another, depending upon the practitioner’s specialty, the location, and the size of the practice. In small practices MA’s in scrubs clothing perform more varied tasks, handling both clinical and administrative duties; whereas in large practices they tend to specialize in one or a few areas – either clinical or administrative. In any case MA’s report to office managers, department supervisors, or the supervising physician.

Administrative medical assistants are responsible for updating and filing patients’ records, for filling out insurance forms, and for arranging laboratory services and hospital admissions. They also are charged with answering telephones, handling correspondence, greeting patients, scheduling appointments, and handling bookkeeping and billing. The duties of clinical medical assistants vary according to state law. They are responsible for taking patients’ medical histories, recording vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, assisting the physicians during examinations and explaining treatment procedures to the patients. MA’s in Dickies scrubs also prepare laboratory specimens and perform basic lab tests, sterilize medical equipment, and dispose of contaminated medical supplies. They also instruct patients about diets and medications, administer medications, draw blood, take electrocardiograms, change dressings, remove sutures, telephone prescriptions to pharmacies and authorize drug refills. Medical assistants also keep the examining rooms clean, arrange equipment and instruments, and purchase equipment and supplies.

Depending upon the office and supervising physician, medical assistants can have specialized duties. Ophthalmic MA’s assist ophthalmologists in providing eye care such as measuring and recording vision, conducting diagnostic tests such as testing eye muscle function, applying eye dressings, and teaching patients how to insert and care for contact lenses. Podiatric MA’s take and develop x-rays, make castings of patients’ feet, and assist podiatrists during surgery. Practically all MA’s have a high school diploma; however there are no legal educational or training requirements for the job. Although many medial assistants receive their training on the job, others complete a one or two year program given at a vocational-technical high school, or a junior or community college. These programs result in a diploma for a one-year course or an associate degree for a two-year course.

The instruction covers physiology, anatomy and medical terminology as well as accounting, recordkeeping, keyboarding, and insurance processing. Students in scrub tops also learn laboratory technique, diagnostic and clinical procedure, principles of pharmacology, first aid, and administration of medication. Included in the course are patient relations, office practices, medical law, and medical ethics. MA programs usually also include internships which provide practical experience in a physician’s office or other healthcare facility. There are two national accrediting bodies which accredit MA programs. However, formal training and certification are not required, and many MA’s are trained on the job by attending training sessions and by working under the supervision of experienced coworkers.

Medical assistant duties range from welcoming patients to doctor’s practices to giving injections and even to some filing of documentation.

In a dental practice a medical assistant will prepare instruments needed for treatment like sterilizing and aid the dentist in the procedures. They also organize all client documentation and fix appointments.

In a pediatric practice they may give injections and do filing and handle the administrative duties. In other setting assistants may help doctors to make research on cases, and in big hospitals assistants handle most of the documentation.

Other assistants will be confined to the lab to make investigation that will help doctors to diagnose patients accurately. They work with samples like blood and tissue and test them to find what ails the patients. This can be dangerous so one has to be extremely careful not to get contaminated by these samples and to follow all safety procedures received in training.

If you are not really excited about working in the hospital environment or around ill people, you can opt to be a medical transcriptionist that you can do online in the comfort of your home. A transcriptionist types out a doctor’s notes or instructions from an audio source so they can form part of the patient record.

An ophthalmologist assistant helps with the taking of eye tests, instruct patients on contact lenses use and care and can also make dressings and give medications. They also take care of the equipment.

Medical assistants also help doctors to make research on diseases to make complex diagnoses. They can do library searches and also online research. They help doctors collect samples for investigation like draw blood and other samples.

Medical assistants ensure the smooth running of doctors’ offices making sure patient information is filed away accurately, fix appointments, make sure all needed equipment are clean and in working order and that the offices are in a condition to receive patients. They can also give medications and advise patients on how to make them.