National
| Median wages (2008) |
$13.60 hourly, $28,300 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
417,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Much faster than average (21% or higher)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
199,000 additional employees |
31-9092.00 - Medical Assistants
Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding 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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Medical Assistant, Certifed Medical Assistant (CMA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Doctor's Assistant, Medical Office Assistant, Optometric Assistant, Clinical Assistant, Ophthalmic Technician, Optometric Technician, Outpatient Surgery Assistant
Tasks
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics and 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.
- Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets and physicians' instructions to patients.
- Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments and materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
- Collect blood, tissue or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Hypodermic needles — Intradermal needles; Intramuscular needles; Subcutaneous needles |
| Mercury blood pressure units — Baumanometers; Manual blood pressuring measurement equipment |
| Nebulizers or accessories — Nebulizers; Pulmonary nebulizers |
| Ophthalmoscopes or otoscopes or scope sets — Opthalmoscopes; Otoscopes |
| Spirometers or its accessories or its supplies — Spirometers; Vitalors |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Accounting software — Billing software; Bookkeeping software |
| Electronic mail software — Email software; Microsoft Exchange |
| Medical software — Patient management software; Visual electro diagnostic software |
| Office suite software — Business software applications; Microsoft Office software |
| Operating system software — Microsoft Windows Vista Business; Microsoft Windows XP Professional |
