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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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
    • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
    • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
    • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
    • Schedule appointments for patients.
    • Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients.
    • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
    • Set up medical laboratory equipment.
    • Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies.
    • Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
    • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
    • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
    • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
    • Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
    • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
    • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
    • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
    • Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment.
    • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
    • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
    • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
    • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
    • Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission.
    • Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
    • Change dressings on wounds.

    Skills

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    Career Video

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 38280/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 18.4/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 30,010
    • Yearly Projected Openings 3620

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Concern for Others
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Alcohol analyzers
    • Audiometers
    • Bedside pulmonary function screeners
    • Benchtop centrifuges
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Blood collection needles
    • Body plethysmographs
    • Canes
    • Capillary or hematocrit tubes
    • Cast cutters or saws
    • Chemistry analyzers
    • Crutches
    • Dictation machines
    • Dropping pipettes
    • Electrocardiography EKG units
    • Electronic blood pressure units
    • Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment
    • Endotracheal tubes
    • Enema kits
    • Eye charts or vision cards
    • Eye occluders
    • Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
    • Hearing aid
    • Hypodermic needle
    • Keratometers
    • Lancets
    • Lap mayo trays or mayo stands for surgical use
    • Laser printers
    • Magnetic stripe readers and encoders
    • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
    • Medical gas cylinders or related devices
    • Medical imaging wet darkroom or daylight processors
    • Medical or surgical suction or vacuum appliances
    • Medical or surgical suction tubings
    • Medical oxygen masks or parts
    • Medical radiation films or badges
    • Medical syringes with needle
    • Medical syringes without needle
    • Medical x ray units for general diagnostic use
    • Mercury blood pressure units
    • Microscope slides
    • Nebulizers
    • Non vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
    • Notebook computers
    • Ophthalmic lensometers
    • Ophthalmic retinoscopes
    • Ophthalmic tonometers
    • Ophthalmoscopes or otoscopes or scope sets
    • Opticians tools
    • Orthopedic splint systems
    • Oxygen therapy delivery system products
    • Personal computers
    • Phlebotomy trays or accessories
    • Scanners
    • Sigmoidoscopes
    • Skin staple removers or kits
    • Specimen collection container
    • Spirometers
    • Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
    • Suture removers
    • Tablet computers
    • Tourniquets
    • Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation units
    • Tuberculin syringes
    • Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
    • Walkers or rollators
    • Wheelchairs
    • Winged infusion needle set

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Categorization or classification software
    • Cloud-based data access and sharing software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Document management software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Network conferencing software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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