If you’re starting a career in healthcare, becoming a medical assistant is a career that’s in demand. Medical assistants help physicians and other medical team members in doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, long term healthcare facilities, ambulatory services, and medical research facilities. There are numerous opportunities for medical assistants, and many types of specialties. Some of these healthcare offices you can work in right away, some may require additional specialized training and certification due to the nature of the work.
Primary Care / Family Practice
If you’re just starting as a medical assistant, primary care is a good place to begin your career. In this type of physician’s office, you’ll work with patients of all ages, for general checkups, mild illnesses, minor injuries, and routine healthcare. Family practice medical assistants help physicians give patients regularly scheduled checkups and walk-in appointments. Here are some of the things you might do as a primary care medical assistant:
- Updating patient medical records
- Taking vital signs
- Administering vaccines
- Collecting patient samples for diagnostic testing
- Removing stitches or changing wound dressings
- Conducting a pediatric well-check
- Giving pre-measured doses of medication, as reviewed by physician
- Drawing blood for testing, under physician’s supervision or with CPT I license
Primary care offices are a general practice environment, but there are plenty of specialized practices where medical assistants can flourish.
Pediatrics
If you enjoy working with children, becoming a pediatric medical assistant may be a good choice for you. Pediatric medical assistants help physicians with medical appointments for infants, children, and adolescent kids. Often, a pediatrician will see the same children throughout their early life, so you will be familiar with your patients and see their growth. Some tasks that pediatric medical assistants do regularly are:
- Take vital signs
- Record measurements and track growth records
- Give immunizations
- Help pediatrician with regular assessments
- Soothe child patients
- Schedule follow-up appointments
- Communicate with parents
- Explain care plans to parents and children
- Check vaccine schedules
- Relay physician’s instructions to parents and kids
- Document prenatal history and infant medical records
- Record doctor’s notes for new parents with newborns
- Point of Care Testing for pediatric patients
Medical assistants in pediatric offices should be friendly, communicative, empathetic, and help their patients feel better about seeing the doctor.
Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)
OB-GYN, short for obstetrics and gynecology, is all about women’s healthcare. Obstretrics deals with medical care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. An OB-GYN medical assistant will be found working in a women’s health clinic, fertility clinic, or private practice. If you’re passionate about working with other women and helping them with pregnancy and women’s health issues, this an excellent specialized field in which to work.
Mostly, OB-GYN medical assistants will help physicians with procedures like pap smears, ultrasounds, and blood draws. On very rare occasions, you may be asked to help with biopsies or other procedures. The upside to working in OB-GYN is being able to form bonds your patients and make a difference in their personal lives.
Duties of an OB-GYN medical assistant include:
- Recording weight, vital signs, other information
- Assisting with pap smears and ultrasounds
- Helping to administer mammograms
- Assisting with pelvic and uterine health exams
- Preparing examination rooms and equipment
- Blood draws for diagnostic testing
Being an OB-GYN medical assistant is rewarding, you get to know patients from before the time they are pregnant all the way past delivery and more. Having a friendly face in the gynecologist office makes a difference, many women dread going to get preventative health tests. You can help make them feel more seen, heard, and cared for.
Geriatrics
Geriatrics is a specialized field of medical care for the elderly. When people advance in years, they are more likely to have certain conditions. A geriatric medical assistant helps physicians in geriatric care with their patients. There are several things that you might be tasked with as a medical assistant in this field.
Geriatric medical assistant responsibilities include:
- Checking blood sugar
- Taking vital signs
- Helping physicians with physical assessments
- Checking for melanoma or other abnormal signs on the skin
- Administer booster shots and vaccinations
- Help patients with mobility aids
- Work with insurance companies and help advocate for patients
- Routine tests for illnesses and preventative care
- End of life planning
You should have a good understanding of Medicare and private insurance to work in geriatric care. Other skills that are helpful are patience, communication, empathy, and problem solving.
Podiatry
Medical assistants in a podiatrist’s office help the physician with treatments and procedures related to injuries and disorders with the feet. Podiatrists are medical doctors specializing in treatment of foot conditions. A podiatric medical assistant will assist the medical team in several ways, including:
- Helping physician with exams
- Updating and managing patient records
- Making casts of the patient’s foot
- Doing toenail clippings
- Helping with treatments for fungal toenails and ingrown toenails
- Assisting with foot treatments related to diabetes
- Taking and exposing x-rays of feet
- Administrative tasks like medical billing
- Scheduling follow up appointments
Medical assistants for podiatrists may work in a private practice office or outpatient clinic. This position may require additional training and certification. About 30% of your patients will be elderly, so skills like communication, interpersonal skills, and empathy will be important.
Surgical
Medical assistants for surgeons may do a mix of administrative and clinical duties. Some of the duties you may be responsible for are:
- Insurance verification
- Sending authorization to insurance payer
- Getting referrals from other physicians
- Scheduling dates for surgery
- Helping with pre-op appointments
- Make sure medical clearances are given
- Set up surgical room, sterilizing and preparing equipment
- Rooming patients
- Providing post-operative care
Oncology
Oncology is the medical study and treatment of cancer. An oncology medical assistant may work in a hospital or private practice helping physicians and nurse practitioners with a variety of tasks, such as:
- Patient check-ins
- Scheduling appointments
- Measuring vital signs
- Taking blood for diagnostic testing
- Setting up patient rooms
- Helping with claims and contacting insurance payers
Cardiology
A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in treating heart conditions and diseases. For medical assistants in a cardiology office, they will work with patients with chronic and acute heart conditions. Abnormal heart rhythms, palpitations, heart murmurs, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, pacemakers, and valve replacements are all conditions your patients may be dealing with. Note: This might require additional training and/or certification to work in cardiology.
Medical assistants in cardiology clinics will help with tasks such as:
- Taking vitals like blood pressure, respiration rate, and pulse
- Draw blood for diagnostic lab testing
- Perform EKGs and record the results
- Interview patients about their symptoms and record their responses
- Orthostatics testing
- Schedule follow-up appointments
- Help with medical billing and insurance
- Learn about symptoms and management of chronic cardiac diseases
- Screening software downloads for pacemakers and doing device checks
- Relay medication instructions from cardiologist to patients
- Calculating ankle brachial indexes
- Learn about heart medications and cardiac dietary plans
- Get certified in CPR
- Learn to identify cardiac arrest symptoms and when to call the physician
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmologists treat patients with eye disorders and loss of vision. In an ophthalmology office, you will help give patients eye exams, do vision tests, and help relay information from the doctor to the patients about treatments, glasses and contact lenses.
Some of the responsibilities of an ophthalmology medical assistant are:
- Record patient symptoms
- Prepare equipment for exams
- Administer basic eye test
- Test for cataracts or glaucoma
- Teach patients how to insert and remove contacts
- Give patients information about exams, vision aids, and procedures
- Assist ophthalmologist with ultrasound imaging
- Update patient records and schedule follow up appointments
- Provide patients with post-operative care, in some cases
Note: You may have to earn additional certifications for working as a certified ophthalmology medical assistant in this field.
Urgent Care
Medical assistants working in urgent care help provide immediate care for non-critical injuries and illnesses. They may work in hospitals or clinics under the supervision of the attending physicians. There may be long hours at times, but you may be able to enjoy extra days off after the long shifts.
Some of the duties an urgent care medical assistant may have include:
- Helping triage incoming patients
- Checking in patients and recording their symptoms
- Assisting nurses with splinting fractures
- Take vitals and conduct basic diagnostic tests
- Prepare patients to be seen by a doctor or nurse practitioner
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is a medical and surgical field that deals with the diagnosis, correction, and prevention of diseases, deformities, and injuries to the muscles and skeletal system. Medical assistants in an orthopedic office may help physicians with the following tasks:
- Assist orthopedic specialist with exams and diagnostic procedures
- Interview patients for symptoms and events leading up to visit
- Update patient records and contact insurance provider
- Prepare examination room
Dermatology
A dermatologist is a physician who focuses on skin disorder, conditions, and diseases. Medical assistants are often found in dermatologist’s offices, helping the physician with numerous tasks, including the following:
- Collecting samples from patients
- Removing sutures
- Assisting physician with biopsies and Mohs surgery
- Submitting labs on behalf of the physician
- Communicating with cancer pathology departments for physician
- Helping with wound dressings
- Applying special ointments or creams to affected areas
- Recording any changes in patient condition
- Doing melanin tests
Medical assistants in dermatology not only work in private practice offices, but also in long-term healthcare centers, hospitals, cosmetic offices, and medical spas.
Endocrinology
Endocrinology is the study of disorders and conditions of the endocrine system. Physicians who help patients in endocrinology deal with conditions like diabetes, hormone treatments like estrogen and testosterone, thyroid issues, and other issues like weight gain and mood disorders. Your endocrine system is important, and medical assistants often work with physicians in this field.
- Endocrinology medical assistants have responsibilities that include:
- Blood draws for diagnostic testing
- Subcutaneous injections (as regulated by state laws)
- Giving pre-measured doses of medication, reviewed by the physician
- Blood sugar checks
- Preparing patients for tests and exams
- Collecting urine samples for testing
- Managing and updating health records
Phlebotomy
A phlebotomist is someone who draws blood for the purpose of diagnostic testing, analysis, or medical procedures. In some states, medical assistants can draw blood from venipuncture if they have been properly trained, and are under a physician’s supervision. In a few states, phlebotomy certification is required, after completing a training program with the required clock hours and number of types of blood draws.
Medical assistants who have a phlebotomy certificate are allowed to draw blood from a patient’s vein. More advanced certification is required to draw blood from an artery (this is not common). Phlebotomy is a useful skill to have as a medical assistant as this can allow you to work in different places, such as hospitals, blood or plasma donation centers, medical offices, long term care facilities, and medical research labs.
Here are some of the things you may be responsible for as a medical assistant in a phlebotomy role:
- Drawing blood from patients for testing
- Reassuring patients
- Labelling blood samples accurately for testing and medical use
- Schedule follow visits for patients or donors
Gastroenterology
Gastroenology is a medical field that diagnosing and treating patients with intestinal, stomach, and digestive problems. Medical assistants often must use empathy, communication, and organization in their work – gastro patients are often clueless as to what maladies are causing their symptoms.
Some of the duties a gastroenterological medical assistant will have, include:
- Interviewing patients and recording their symptoms
- Scheduling colonoscopies
- Taking blood for diagnostic tests
- Checking patients for signs of gastrointestinal bleeding
- Recording weight gain or loss
- Taking stool samples for testing
- Administering barium swallows under the supervision of a physician
- Helping doctor with endoscopies
- Scheduling follow up appointments
Ear Nose and Throat
Medical assistants working in ENT see patients of all ages. Here are a few examples of tasks you might do in this type of office:
- Patient intake and registration
- Scheduling surgeries
- Helping surgeon prepare for surgery (ear tubes, cyst removal, tongue tie clippings)
- Assist with exams of ears with excessive ear wax
- Help physician with examinations of throat
Chiropractic
Chiropractors do back adjustments, use massage, and electrical nerve stimulation to help the back muscles relax and relieve chronic pain. Medical assistants do mostly administrative work in chiropractic offices, including:
- Scheduling follow-up appointments for patients
- Preparing exam rooms and equipment
- Insurance billing and payment
- Updating patient records
- Convey information on rehabilitative exercises to patients on behalf of doctor
- Keeping front office organized and clean
Medical assistants in chiropractic offices should have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
Urology
Urology is the medical field in which physicians diagnose and treat urinary tract disorders and male reproductive organs. Medical assistants working with urologists may help with the following:
- Patient intake and interviews
- Collecting urine samples for urinalysis
- Blood draws for diagnostic testing
- Helping with ultrasound scans
- Preparing surgical equipment for vasectomies
- Assist physician with cystoscopy
- Do pyelograms for pelvic imaging
- Update patient records
- Schedule follow-up appointments
Medical Imaging
Medical assistants working in imaging will often help with tasks such as:
- Putting patients in correct position for imaging
- Help take X-rays
- Assist patients with MRIs or CT scans
- Help doctors with ultrasound scans
- Explain procedures to patients
- Ensure patients are following all safety precautions
Plastic Surgery
Physicians in plastic surgery also employ medical assistants for various tasks. A plastic surgeon does surgery to correct, reconstruction, beautify, or repair facial features or other body features.
The medical assistant in a plastic surgeon's office may help with:
- Cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment
- Maintaining surgeon workstations
- Scheduling appointments
- Billing and insurance processing
Neurology
A neurologist is a specialist in the nervous system, the spinal cord, and the brain. Medical assistants who work in this field will require additional training because of the complexity of the work. Some of the duties a neurological medical assistant may encounter are:
- Interviewing patients to record their symptoms
- Preparing patients for exams
- Helping physician with reflex tests, electrical tests, etc.
- Assisting physicians with radiological tests
- Helping doctor with assessment tests
- Updating patient records
- Scheduling next appointments
Medical Office Assistant /Administrative Medical Assistant
Medical assistants may sometimes work strictly or mostly in an administrative role, almost as a de facto office manager. In this capacity, a medical assistant may have the following responsibilities:
- Checking patients in and registering new patients
- Managing patient medical records
- Scheduling patient appointments
- Some medical billing and coding
- Ordering medical and office supplies
Become a Certified Medical Assistant at Our Sacramento Training Facility
If you’ve been thinking about entering the medical field, Campus Sacramento has a Medical Assisting certification program that will give you the education you need to start your healthcare career. In about 36 weeks, you’ll learn the medical, clinical, and administrative skills that physicians are looking for. This includes an unpaid 4-week externship to give you hands-on training, and the hours you’ll need to sit for the certification exam. Our Day Schedule classes are even quicker and you can finish in about 30 weeks (including the externship). For more details, contact our friendly Admissions team, or call 888-675-2460.