What Does the Average Medical Assistant Make?

The average medical assistant makes a salary of $33,610 per year. This figure can vary based on experience, location, and other factors.

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What is the average medical assistant salary?

As of May 2018, the median annual salary for Medical assistants was $33,610, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,720.

How does experience affect medical assistant salary?

Medical assistants with more experience tend to earn higher salaries than those with less experience. However, there are many other factors that can affect medical assistant salary, such as location, employer type, and whether or not the medical assistant is certified.

Where do Medical Assistants work?

Medical assistants work in a variety of settings, including physician’s offices, hospitals, clinics and even insurance companies. They might also work for the government or in smaller medical practices. MA’s usually work full time, although some positions might be part time or even on a per-diem basis.

What are the responsibilities of a medical assistant?

The responsibilities of a medical assistant may vary from office to office, but there are some duties that are commonly performed by medical assistants. These duties can be grouped into the following categories:

Clinical duties: Medical assistants may perform such clinical tasks as taking patient histories and preparing patients for examination. They may also assist the physician during the examination, and may sometimes be responsible for performing basic laboratory tests.

Administrative duties: Medical assistants also perform many administrative tasks. For example, they may schedule appointments, greet patients, handle correspondence, and arrange for hospital admissions and laboratory services. They may also handle billing and coding information for insurance purposes.

Supervisory duties: In some cases, medical assistants may be responsible for supervising other office staff members.

What hours does a medical assistant work?

Medical assistants typically work full time, although some may work part time. Many work more than 40 hours per week. About 1 in 4 medical assistants worked evenings in 2016, and about 1 in 7 worked weekends.

What is the job outlook for medical assistants?

Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The growth of the aging baby-boomer population will continue to increase demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by medical assistants.

As physicians begin to employ more medical assistants in their practices to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, services that were previously provided only by nurses and other health care workers will be increasingly shifted to medical assistants.

What are the educational requirements for medical assistants?

Most medical assistants have completed a postsecondary education program of at least one year. Many have completed 2-year programs. A small number have completed 4-year bachelor’s degree programs in health science.

What are the certification requirements for medical assistants?

Medical assistants perform many duties to support the work of physicians and other health professionals. They may take medical histories and record vital signs, explain treatment procedures to patients, prepare patients for examination, authorize insurance forms, and schedule appointments. Some medical assistants also perform basic laboratory tests, dispose of contaminated supplies, and sterilize medical instruments. Many medical assistants take on additional responsibilities, such as handling billing and coding, maintaining medical records operating office equipment, ordering supplies, handling correspondence, scheduling hospital admissions and laboratory services, and making travel arrangements for staff members.

What are the skills required for medical assistants?

Medical assistants are in high demand and the job outlook is positive. This career is a good choice for those who want to work in the medical field but don’t want to go through the lengthy and expensive process of becoming a doctor or nurse.

To become a medical assistant, you will need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some college coursework is also recommended, although it is not always required. Many community colleges offer programs specifically designed to train medical assistants, and these programs typically last one year.

Once you have completed your training, you will need to pass a certification exam to earn your credentials. Once you are certified, you will be able to find jobs in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices.

The average medical assistant makes $15 per hour, or $31,000 per year. Pay can vary depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the personality traits of successful medical assistants?

Medical assistants work in health care facilities and provide supportive patient care services under the supervision of licensed health care professionals. They perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks, which may include taking medical histories and recording vital signs, preparing patients for examination, assisting during the exam, scheduling appointments, handling correspondence, billing and coding for insurance purposes.

In order to be successful in this career, medical assistants must have certain personality traits. They must be detail-oriented in order to accurately perform their duties. They must also possess good communication skills in order to interact effectively with patients, families, physicians and other members of the health care team. Medical assistants must be able to work well under pressure and handle stress in a fast-paced environment. Finally, they must have a strong commitment to providing quality patient care.