What is a Typical Day on the Job for a Medical Assistant?

With a variety of medical assistant duties and responsibilities, a typical day on the job for a medical assistant will never be boring. Working as a medical assistant means that you will perform many different tasks and interact with many different people throughout the day. A medical assistant may begin the day working with the office staff, move to taking vitals and patient histories, and follow that with assisting a physician with a clinical procedure.

What is a Medical Assistant?

A medical assistant is a health professional who supports the administrative and medical staff in the healthcare industry. Medical assistants may work in hospitals, physician offices, clinics, surgical centers, rehabilitation centers, and more. Medical assistants work with the physicians and medical professionals, office staff, and patients over the course of their day. 

What are the Medical Assistant Duties and Responsibilities?

Medical assistant duties and responsibilities vary by the location and nature of each facility, but in general, as a medical assistant, you will be responsible for organizing medical charts, preparing treatment rooms, greeting and checking in patients, taking vital signs, documenting medical histories, communicating discharge instructions, and more. Medical assistants are often asked to multi-task and have a large variety of responsibilities. Because of this, medical assistants need to be detail-oriented and have strong communication and interpersonal skills. Although there may be some stressful moments, the fast pace is very desirable for the right person. 

What are the Benefits of Working as a Medical Assistant?

Because the medical assistant duties and responsibilities are so varied, the job does not often feel boring. With a busy schedule and many different tasks, medical assistants are active throughout the day and will rarely find themselves watching the clock. Every day is different and interesting. Medical assistants are often able to work directly with patients, which can be very rewarding. Medical assisting is a growing profession with good job stability, and there is ample opportunity for continued growth in the healthcare industry with more experience and training. While a medical assistant may have limited opportunities to treat patients, medical assisting is an excellent way to assess opportunities in the healthcare field and gain experience. The initial training to become a medical assistant can be completed in as little as 9 months, which means that you will be able to go from training to beginning your career in under a year.

What Kind of Person Will Be Successful as a Medical Assistant?

A good medical assistant will have:

• A desire for a variety of daily responsibilities.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Quality communication skills.

With the right training, many people can be successful in a career as a medical assistant and will be able to find work in a variety of locations.

A typical day as a medical assistant can be interesting and fast-paced. Medical assistants have the advantage of working with both patients, office staff, and physicians, and the variety of tasks keeps them busy and focused. If you enjoy working with people and are interested in jumping into the growing healthcare industry, a medical assisting career can be a great way to start. Contact Athena Career Academy to learn more about our accredited medical assistant program.