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Medical Assistants


Overview

Medical Assistants

Introduction

Medical assistants help physicians in offices, hospitals, and clinics. They keep medical records, help examine and treat patients, and perform routine office duties to allow physicians to spend their time working directly with patients. Medical assistants are vitally important to the smooth and efficient operation of medical offices. There are approximately 686,600 medical assistants employed in the United States.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$33,610

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Employment Prospects

Excellent

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Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma


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Experience

Clinical experience recommended


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

The earnings of medical assistants vary widely, depending on experience, skill level, and location. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, median annual earnings of medical assistants were $33,610 in 2018. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,790, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $47,250 a year. Mean annual earnings of medical assistants who worked in offices of physicians ...

Work Environment

Most medical assistants work in pleasant, modern surroundings. The average medical assistant works 40 hours a week, including some Saturday and evening hours. They may be required to work on holidays to cover shifts at medical facilities that are open around the clock. Sterilizing equipment and handling medical instruments require care and attentiveness. As most professionals in the health scie...

Outlook

Employment for medical assistants will grow by 23 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations, through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Many openings will occur to replace workers who leave their jobs, but most will be the result of a predicted surge in the number of new physicians' offices, clinics, and other outpatient care facilities. The growing number of elder...