What Medical Assistants do:
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.
Related job titles: Medical Assistant, Certifed Medical Assistant (CMA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Doctor's Assistant, Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT), Medical Office Assistant, Optometric Assistant, Clinical Assistant, Ophthalmic Technician, Optometric Technician.
What does a Medical Assistant do? Medical Assistant (MA) program prepares graduates to provide both administrative and clinical services in a medical office. Administrative duties may include: managing the flow of patients in and out of the office, updating and filing medical records, filling out insurance information, arranging for hospital admission or laboratory services, billing, and/or transcription. Under the direct supervision of a licensed professional such as a physician, they also provide direct (hands-on) patient care procedures. These procedures may include: monitoring vital signs, explaining treatment procedures, preparing patients for examinations, sterilizing instruments, and/or performing routine laboratory procedures & electrocardiograms
