Typing is a prerequisite. Periodic advising is strongly recommended. The student will incur the costs of tuition, room, board, and books. The medical assistant is a professional multi-skilled individual dedicated to assisting in patient care management. This versatile member of the health care team assists the physician in executing administrative and clinical procedures in the office setting and adhering to ethical and legal standards of medical practice.
Medical assistants perform clinical, laboratory, and administrative duties.
The extent of their tasks varies with the size and kind of practice of their employer. Medical assistants work in medical offices, schedule appointments, manage the telephone, process the mail, maintain office records and filing systems, and manage collections. In many offices medical assistants use word processors or computers to do record-keeping, billing, transcription. They process health insurance forms. They may do payroll for the office staff.