Medical assistants perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician.
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in hospitals, offices of physicians, and other health care facilities. Most medical assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other health care facilities.
Most medical assistants have postsecondary education such as a certificate. Others enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn through on-the-job training.
Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 18 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 104,400 openings for medical assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The DC Health Care Workforce Partnership is managed by the District of Columbia Hospital Association Program Services Company, Inc.
The DC Health Care Workforce Partnership is funded wholly or in part by the Government of the District of Columbia Workforce Investment Council (WIC).