Medical Assistant
Medical Assistants
31-9092.00
Median wages
$28,840
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.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
- 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.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
- Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
- Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
- Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
- Schedule appointments for patients.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
- Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
- Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
- Change dressings on wounds.
- 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.
- Accounting software — Billing software; Bookkeeping software
- Calendar and scheduling software — Appointment scheduling software
- Categorization or classification software — Diagnostic and procedural coding software
- Data base user interface and query software — Database software; Microsoft Access
- Electronic mail software — Email software; Microsoft Exchange
- Internet browser software — Web browser software
- Medical software — Medical procedure coding software ; MEDITECH software ; Patient management software; Visual electro diagnostic software
- Network conferencing software — Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS
- Office suite software — Business software applications; Microsoft Office
- Operating system software — Microsoft Windows Vista Business; Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening — Giving 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 Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
