Medical Assisting

Medical Assisting — Overview

Medical Assistants enjoy a very stable position in one of the fastest growing occupations in the health care industry. Medical assistants help with the daily duties of a medical office. In smaller offices, medical assistants often perform clinical and administrative work. In larger offices, medical assistants may specialize in administrative or clinical tasks.

Administrative Medical Assistants perform clerical office duties such as:

  • Handle updating patient records
  • Arrange patient lab or hospital visits
  • Complete insurance forms, schedule appointments
  • Perform medical billing and bookkeeping tasks

Clinical Medical Assistants provide direct patient care, and often will:

  • Take vital signs of patients
  • Prepare patients for and assist the physician during examinations
  • Collect and package lab specimens
  • Sterilize medical instruments
  • Educate the patient about medications and nutrition
  • Telephone prescriptions and refill order to the pharmacy
  • Remove sutures and dress wounds

Please note: duties of medical assistants may vary from state-to-state as state law dictates.

Ready to get started? Check out our online medical assisting degrees.

Medical Assisting — Is it for you?

Medical Assistants typically have a varied work day and interaction with many different people. Those who perform clinical duties also enjoy providing direct patient care. Some medical assistants use the position to gain experience in the health care field with the intention of continuing their studies for a career in nursing or health care management. Those interested in a career as a medical assistant should enjoy working with people, have a positive and helpful attitude, and interested in learning about the human body. In addition, those looking to work as a clinical medical assistant must be comfortable working with blood and dressing wounds.

Find out more

Learn more about this growing career field by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors toll free at 1-866-508-0748 x832. We are happy to provide you with further information about career opportunities and the Herzing College Medical Assisting online programs so you can determine which one is right for you.Request more information

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