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Career Details

31-9092.00 - Medical Assistants


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.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
591,300
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
730,200
Estimate
Change in Employment
+138,900
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+23.5%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • 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.
  • Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
Supplemental
  • Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 English Language
  • 96%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 91%
    Knowledge 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 Dentistry
  • 87%
    Knowledge 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.
 Clerical
  • 82%
    Knowledge 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 Electronics
  • 76%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Education and Training
  • 70%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 64%
    Knowledge 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.
 Therapy and Counseling
  • 61%
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 Psychology
  • 59%
    Knowledge 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 Management
  • 57%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 56%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Mathematics
  • 55%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Blood pressure units and related products
  • Baumanometers
  • Electronic blood pressure measuring devices
  • Manual blood pressuring measurement equipment
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Binocular light compound microscopes
 Specimen collection and transport containers and supplies
  • Blood collection vials
  • Culturettes
  • Evacuated blood collection tubes
  • Evacuated collection tube holders/adapters
  • Lancets
  • Tourniquets
 Injection and aspiration needles and accessories
  • Butterfly needles
  • Intradermal needles
  • Intramuscular needles
  • Single draw needles
  • Subcutaneous hypodermic needles
 Computer data input devices
  • Credit card readers
  • Scanners
 Airway management products
  • Endotracheal ET tubes
 Ophthalmic diagnostic exam products
  • Handheld occluders
  • Keratometers
  • Lensometers
  • Metric rules
  • Retinoscopes
  • Snellen eye charts
  • Tonometers
 Computer printers
  • Laser printers
 Test Tubes
  • Microcapillary hematocrit tubes
 Computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
  • Tablet computers
 Oxygen therapy delivery systems and devices
  • Oxygen equipment
  • Oxygen masks
  • Oxygen tanks
 Pulmonary function testing and treatment products
  • Plethysmographs
  • Pulmonary function measurement equipment
  • Spirometers
  • Vitalors
 Medical suction and vacuum products
  • Suction machines
  • Suction tubing
 Syringes and accessories
  • Syringe needles
  • Syringes
  • Tuberculin TB skin test equipment
 Electrotherapy equipment
  • Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS units
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Appointment scheduling software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Billing software
  • Bookkeeping software
  • Intuit QuickBooksHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Business software applications
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Data entry softwareHOT
  • Database software
  • Diagnostic and procedural coding software
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
 Industry specific software
  • eClinicalWorks
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Epic SystemsHOT
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCSHOT
  • Medical condition coding softwareHOT
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • MEDITECH softwareHOT
  • Patient management software
  • Visual electro diagnostic software
 Information exchange software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft ExchangeHOT
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
 Content management software
  • IDX Systems Patient Chart Tracking
 Operating environment software
  • Microsoft Windows Vista Business
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Eastern Shore Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College