When patients arrive for a medical appointment,
it's the medical assistant who has prepared
the treatment room and made sure equipment
is ready for the doctor.
With both patient care
and administrative responsibilities,
they help keep medical establishments
running smoothly.
Medical assistants often perform
several tasks during an appointment.
They may measure vital signs
before the doctor arrives,
assist with the examination,
and enter patient information
into medical records.
Sometimes they may give patients medications.
At the end of the appointment,
they dispose of contaminated supplies
or sterilize instruments for future use.
In smaller practices,
they may also schedule appointments
and prepare samples for lab work,
whereas many large practices encourage
specialization in either
administrative or clinical work.
Medical assistants work in doctors’ offices,
hospitals, and clinics.
Most work full-time, including on holidays,
nights, and weekends.
Requirements to enter the field vary;
some medical assistants
hold a high school diploma,
and learn their duties on the job.
However, job applicants
who have completed a short-term
medical assistant certificate program,
and passed a certification exam
may have better opportunities.
Regardless of where medical assistants work,
they make life easier for the medical staff
and their patients.