Top Five Medical Assistant Job Duties

Being a good listener falls among the most vital medical assistant duties. Whether they see a patient once a year or several times a month, medical assistants offer an understanding ear for patients going through routine doctor's exams or struggling with chronic disease. They know when to talk, when to listen and how to match a patient's mood or personality in their responses. As such, medical assistants have many opportunities to build relationships with patients, which can positively influence a medical office's reputation.

Typically, medical assistant duties involve keeping patient medical records current, from recording a patient's current weight and blood pressure to writing down a patient's answers from a pre-exam interview. Medical assistants might also be responsible for filing patient medical records and adding written accounts from physicians or nurses based on the exam and any lab tests that were conducted.

On the clinical side of medical assistant job objectives, preparing exam rooms is a top priority. More than changing the paper on the exam room table, preparing exam rooms for patients requires a number of steps from disposing of contaminated supplies to sterilizing medical tools. Medical assistants might also perform the following tasks:

• Restock medical tools and equipment
• Arrange exam room instruments
• Set up lab trays necessary for a patient's exam

Medical assistant duties often involve arranging for laboratory services. Depending on their certification and employer, some medical assistants might collect and prepare lab specimens and perform basic lab tests. Further, many play a role in patient x-rays, as coordinators with the medical imaging team, in assisting patients in preparing for x-rays, or, in some cases, as the ones who expose and develop the x-rays.

Drawing blood, delivering injections, administering medications, removing sutures, changing dressings—clinical medical assistant job objectives can involve any or all of these tasks. In addition, physicians may task medical assistants with explaining medical procedures to patients and instructing patients on dietary issues, medications and other areas relevant to their specific health condition.

Learn more about medical assistant careers, and find a school that offers the right medical assistant training program for you.