Overview
Responsibilities
T-A-S-K
Education
Income & Employability
Video Resources
Related Careers

Description

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.

Interests

  • Conventional
  • Social
  • Realistic

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Achievement

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Concern for Others
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Learn More about Work Styles

Tasks

  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.

Work Activities

  • Getting Information
  • Working with Computers
  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Detailed Work Activities

  • Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Technology Skills

  • Medical software
  • Presentation software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Accounting software
  • Document management software

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Written Comprehension
  • Near Vision
  • Problem Sensitivity

Skills

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking

Knowledge

  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics

Most Common Education Level

The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.

Certificates

Certificate name

Medical Assistant

Certifying Organization

YouScience

Type

Core

Certifying Organization

National Healthcareer Association

Type

Core

Certifying Organization

Board of Medical Specialty Coding and Compliance

Type

Core

Certifying Organization

Radiology Coding Certification Board

Type

Specialty

Certifying Organization

Organization for Transplant Professionals

Type

Specialty

Income Percentile

The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.

Income PercentileAnnual Income
Low (10%)$36,337
Median (50%)$42,132
High (90%)$51,077

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).

ExperienceIncome
Entry Level $43,714
Mid Level $46,755
Senior Level $47,700
Expert Level $52,290

Employability

There are currently 783,900 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 901,900 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 15%.

The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.

Projected Job Growth of 15%

Related Careers

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.

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