Right now, the healthcare industry is seeing a nearly unprecedented demand for qualified workers, including medical assistants.[1] Some of the fastest growing jobs in the US right now are healthcare professionals. [2] There are numerous factors which are leading to the expansion of healthcare services, with medical assistant jobs projected to grow an incredible 15% between 2023 and 2033. [3] Healthcare services are undergoing several fundamental changes which make it the best time ever to become a medical assistant.
What is the Role of Medical Assistants in Healthcare?
Medical assistants are the backbone of a medical office or healthcare facility. They do the work that keeps the patient appointments flowing smoothly, providing clinical and administrative support to physicians and nurses.
Some of the things medical assistants do include:
- Taking vital signs
- Updating patient medical records
- Preparing and stocking examination rooms
- Collecting patient samples for diagnostic testing (blood, urine, etc)
- Vaccinations and immunizations
- Dispensing medication (if premeasured and reviewed by physician)
- Help physician with basic clinical procedures
- Schedule follow up appointments
- Update patient insurance information
Well-trained and organized medical assistants help keep a healthcare facility running smooth, on-time, and worry-free.
Biggest Reasons for Medical Assistant Job Growth
There are several different reasons why medical assistants are in demand like never before, in the US, and in Sacramento.
1. The Expansion of Healthcare and Medical Facilities
As the population grows, there is an expanded need for healthcare services for the people in the communities across the US. As big cities grow, medical centers, physician’s offices, urgent care facilities, and outpatient centers all expand and grow. New emergency care centers, community health centers, and even vaccination clinics in pharmacies are opened. These medical facilities all need medical assistants who are trained and ready to work.
Medical assisting is going through a job boom because the demand is high, especially in cities that are growing. Medical assistants help physicians with clinical and administrative tasks to help provide high-quality healthcare to a growing volume of patients.
2. Aging Population and Increased Need for Medical Care
By 2030, there will be 61 million Americans who are aged 66 to 84, [4] the Baby Boomer generation. Another 9 million people in the US will be 85 or older. Approximately 1 in 5 US residents will be at retirement age by 2030. This aging population will require more healthcare services, and management of chronic illnesses. With an increased demand for healthcare services comes a growing demand for healthcare professionals, including medical assistants. In healthcare facilities serving older patients, medical assistants help patients with many tasks, including glucose tests, taking vital signs, helping physicians with physical assessments, communicating with insurance companies, and giving booster shots.
3. Increased Emphasis on Preventative Care
In recent years, people have become more health conscious and more interested in preventative care. People want to prevent health issues before they happen, so they schedule more routine checkups. According to the CDC and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey [5], in 2019, there were 223 million preventative care doctor’s appointments. Medical assistants are needed for the increased patient volume in preventative care.
Medical assistants help preventative care physicians with routine checkups, taking vital signs, health check screenings, patient education, and follow-up visits.
4. Healthcare Spending Increasing at the Government Level
According to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Spending (CMS), national healthcare spending is set to increase 5.4% per year through 2028 [6]. During this time, the health share of the economy is set to rise from 17.7 percent in 2018 to 19.7 percent in 2028. This will lead to new healthcare facilities opening. These medical facilities need to be staffed with a new medical team, which includes medical assistants.
5. Administrative Support in Medical Offices
Medical assistants are trained to perform both clinical and administrative duties. In some busier medical facilities, medical assistants may work as a medical office assistant and perform front-end tasks that keep patient appointments and regulation compliance running smoothly. There is more documentation and compliance requirements at the state and federal level, and medical assistants can take on this role, helping operations run efficiently.
Administrative medical assistants can do a range of activities, including:
- Updating and managing patient medical records
- Checking patients into appointments
- Scheduling follow up visits
- Answering phones and greeting patients
- Inputting insurance plan information
- Monitoring office schedule
- Ordering medical and office supplies
- Communication with insurance carriers and payers
- Relaying information from physician to patient
- Confirming prescriptions with pharmacy for patients
Many medical offices rely on a detail-oriented medical assistant (or two) to manage patient records and make sure each day runs smoothly.
These five reasons, among others, are why the demand for certified medical assistants is rising rapidly in the Sacramento job market and around the country.
Take the Next Step Towards Becoming a Medical Assistant
If you’re ready to join the healthcare industry and become a medical assistant, Campus Sacramento has a program that will help you get fully trained and certified. Our Medical Assisting program can help you start your healthcare career in a matter of months. For more information on next start dates or financial aid, contact our Admissions team or call 888-675-2460.
[1] Note: The data provided in this article is from sources 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/fastest-growing.htm , Modified April 18, 2025, Accessed July 16, 2025.
[3] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm , Modified April 18, 2025, Accessed July 17, 2025.
[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1464018/, Accessed July 17, 2025.
[5] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ahcd/namcs_summary/2019-namcs-web-tables-508.pdf , Accessed July 18, 2025.
[6] https://www.cms.gov/files/document/nhe-projections-2019-2028-forecast-summary.pdf , Accessed July 16, 2025.