Medical Assistants are responsible for performing clinical and administrative tasks to keep offices of health professionals running smoothly. They handle administrative duties and report to a physician, office manager or other practitioner. These assistants update medical records of patients, arrange for laboratory services and hospital admissions, fill out insurance forms, greet patients, handle bills and correspondence, answer telephones, among other tasks. They may work at offices of health practitioners, and in private and public hospitals.

Medical Assistants usually perform many of the following tasks:
• Keeping medical records.
• Advising student trainees.
• Applying bandages.
• Arranging surgery rooms.
• Sterilizing instruments.

• Having good communication skills.
• Being friendly.
• Having knowledge about medical terminology.
• Being able to understand and answer questions of patients.
• Having reasoning abilities.
• Being able to work under pressure.
• Having visual acuity and manual dexterity.
• Being able to respect confidential medical information.
• Having good health.
• Being able to work with people from different backgrounds.

Medical Assistant jobs demand applicants having Medical Assisting programs. These courses are offered by several institutions including junior and community colleges, vocational-technical high schools, and postsecondary vocational schools. Programs of this area take one and two years and provide a Diploma and an Associate Degree respectively. There are different subjects offered in these schemes including transcription, medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, keyboarding, insurance processing, recordkeeping, accounting, pharmaceutical principles, diagnostic procedures, among other topics. The Association of Medical Technologists and the American Association of Medical Assistants award certification credentials for professionals working on this area.