Medical assistants are more in demand than ever before, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 15% increase in jobs between 2023 and 2033. [1] [2] While there are plenty of positive reasons to become a medical assistant, the reality is no career is without some challenges. If you’re making a decision about a career path, you should be well-informed, and that means considering the potential negatives along with the positives. These are the biggest challenges you’re likely to face as a medical assistant (MA).
Time Management & Multitasking
Medical assistants are often tasked with performing several tasks simultaneously. Answering phones, checking patients into appointments, cleaning examination rooms, taking vital signs, rooming patients, and updating medical records are just a few things medical assistants are responsible for. In a medical office, the appointment schedule is kept on time by medical assistants and their ability to manage time and complete tasks in a continuous flow. On days where the office is shorthanded, they must step up and keep focused, ensuring patients throughout the day are seen on time.
Low Staffing On Certain Days
On days where people call out sick or it’s busier than usual, medical assistants might have a bigger workload. This is especially true for medical assistants who work for a physicians group. In this case, one medical assistant may have to work for several doctors on understaffed days. Through these short-staffed days, medical assistants must maintain their professionalism while completing their work efficiently.
Dealing With Difficult Patients
When you see many patients each day, most will be courteous, and a few will be difficult. Patients may be stressed or feeling anxiety about their health condition, or other personal issues. When dealing with patients that are uncooperative, the medical assistant must be patient and maintain a calm demeanor. Easy to say, not always easy to do! You’re a professional though, and providing compassionate care while deflecting any difficult, stress-induced behavior is part of the job.
Interpersonal Communication
Medical assistants spend their day talking with patients and physicians, and serving as the primary point of contact between the two. Relaying information from the physician to the patient, and expressing patient information and concerns to the doctor requires effective communication skills. Medical assistants must communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds who have varied life experiences. Empathy is a good characteristic to have in this job.
Dealing with Work-Related Stress
A medical assistant may experience high stress levels, depending on their work environment. They are responsible for checking in, prepping, and rooming a high volume of patients each day. Depending on the volume of patient appointments, demeanor of the patients, and responsibilities assigned to the MA each day, stress may be something you deal with. Medical assistants must find effective stress management techniques that help them maintain their mental health, while staying composed under pressure. If you are overly stressed at work, that will make it more difficult to provide impeccable patient care.
Keeping Up With Advances in Technology
There have been many advances in healthcare technology, including electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, healthcare management apps, and other tools. There may be occasional changes to the workflows and internal procedures at each medical facility. Adapting to new workflows which use new technologies may take some time and effort to learn and integrate.
Being Prepared for Medical Emergencies
Depending on what type of medical facility you work in, medical emergencies may be an occurrence for which you should be prepared. Cardiology patients may be more susceptible to heart attacks, cardiac arrest, or strokes. Older patients may have emergency situations due to complications with diabetes, COPD, asthma, or other cardiovascular conditions. Knowing what to do in each situation, and knowing the signs to look for is crucial.
Physical Demands
Medical assistants are usually on their feet all day. This is predominantly the case in medical offices and hospitals. In some long term care facilities, they may help patients with mobility. These are physical demands which are placed on the body, so MAs should be careful to avoid strains or repetitive motion injuries.
HIPAA Compliance and Other Regulations
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted to help provide privacy and confidentiality to patients' medical information. Medical assistants must ensure patient information is on a need-to-know basis and protected.
Are You Ready to Take the First Step in Your Healthcare Career?
If you’re ready to begin the journey to becoming a medical assistant, Campus Sacramento has a stellar Medical Assisting program that will give you the skills you need to start your career. Over the course of several months, you’ll learn the knowledge and procedures that will help you earn your certification and find your first medical assisting job. For more information on flexible class schedules, curriculum, start dates, and financial aid, contact our Admissions department or call 888-675-2460.
[1] Note: The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with Campus, formerly known as MTI College, are for informational purposes only and represent the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to Campus graduates and, by providing the above information, Campus makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability.
[2] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm , Accessed August 27, 2025.