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Average
Salary & Job Outlook
Medical
Assistant Median wages (2005)
$12.19 hourly
U.S. Minimum wage (2005)
$5.15 hourly
Medical Assistant Median wages (2005)
$25,350 Annually
U.S. Minimum Wage
$10,712 Annually
Employment (2002)
365,000 employees |
Projected
need
(2002-2012)
282,000 additional
employees |
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Projected
Growth (2002-2012)
Much faster than average (36+%)
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What is Medical Assistant Training?
 A
Medical assistant training can prepare students to perform administrative and clinical
duties under the direction of a physician.
Administrative duties of a medical assistant 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.
What are common tasks for a Medical Assistant?
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure
their vital signs, weight, and height.
- Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the
physician.
- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics and information
such as test results in medical records.
- Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
- Collect blood, tissue or other laboratory specimens, log
the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
- 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 and removing sutures.
- Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information
to pharmacies.
- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping
the rooms neat and clean.
- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated
supplies.
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