What is a Medical Assistant

Article Shared from Indeed.com 

By Indeed Editorial Team

Medical assistants work in a variety of medical settings to assist doctors and nurses in providing healthcare services to a diverse range of patients. Becoming a medical assistant can also offer many opportunities to develop medical skills and advance in the career field. If you are considering becoming a medical assistant, you can most likely begin your career in as little as a year.

In this article, you will learn what a medical assistant does, how you can become a CMA (AAMA) and some frequently asked questions about being a medical assistant.

What is a medical assistant?

A medical assistant is a medical professional who assists nurses and physicians. A certified medical assistant possesses a certification that has been approved by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Typically, a CMA (AAMA) will have completed an accredited medical assistant educational program before earning their certification. Medical assistants can work in a variety of healthcare settings to provide medical assistance to physicians and nurses. Medical assistants may commonly work in medical facilities such as doctors’ offices, healthcare clinics, rehabilitation centers and hospitals or home healthcare settings.

What does a medical assistant do?

A medical assistant may perform a variety of tasks during their day-to-day schedules. Medical assistants may be responsible for duties like assisting doctors and nurses in routine physicals as well as interacting and assisting patients with procedures and treatments. Other tasks a medical assistant could be responsible for include the following tasks:

• Recording patient medical history and information
• Assisting in administration duties like setting appointments, organizing medical records and filing insurance claims
• Assisting with office procedures like taking X-rays and assisting doctors in providing routine and specialized treatments
• Taking and analyzing blood, fluid and tissue samples
• Recording patient treatment plans and assisting doctors in monitoring patient health
• Depending on the medical facility, a medical assistant can have additional responsibilities in their daily schedules.

Average certified medical assistant salary

According to the data presented in the Indeed salary guide, the national average salary for a CMA (AAMA) is $15.07 per hour. Additionally, the average CMA (AAMA) salary can vary by state and by experience level. This may mean that CMAs (AAMA) can earn incomes above, below or comparable to the national average salary.