Medical Assistants
Did You Know:
- Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest-growing occupations over the 2008-18 decade.
- Job prospects should be excellent.
- About 62 percent of medical assistants work in offices of physicians.
- Some medical assistants are trained on the job, but many complete 1-year or 2-year programs.
Industry Areas
- Offices of Physicians
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners
Day-to-Day Tasks
- 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.
Overall Kind of Work
Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors and other health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of medical as...
Work Environment
Civilian
Medical assistants work in well-lighted, clean environments. They constantly interact with other people and may have to handle several responsibilities at once. Most full-time medical assistants w...
Military
Medical care technicians work in hospitals and clinics on land or aboard ships. In combat situations, they may work in mobile field hospitals.
Workweek Breakdown
The hours worked per week by people currently pursuing this career.
- 5.09% (0-20 Hours)
- 14.04% (21-34 Hours)
- 13.15% (35-39 Hours)
- 64.03% (40 Hours)
- 3.03% (41-49 Hours)
- 0.66% (Over 50 Hours)
This data also pertains to Medical assistants(31-9092)
Type of Work
The level of day-to-day involvement with data, people or things.
Data: 
People:
Things:
Skills at a Glance
The levels of different skills helpful in this career.
Verbal skills: 
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving:
Equipment Operation & Maintenance:
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Technology Design & Control: 
Leadership:
Workplace at a Glance
The level of different environmental factors you would experience on the job.
Responsibility:
Exposure to Job Hazards:
Physical Activity:
Decision Making:
Repetitiveness:
Level of Competition:
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Business Breakdown
The different sectors people in this career currently work in.
- 82.52% (Private For-Profit)
- 11.21% (Private Not For-Profit)
- 2.94% (State and Local Govt)
- 2.89% (Federal Government)
- 0.44% (Self-Employed)
Military Breakdown
The number of people who currently hold this career in the Military.
22,363 Medical Assistants in the military