What they do
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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Also called: |
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Chiropractor Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Doctor's Assistant, Health Assistant, Ophthalmic Assistant, Ophthalmological Assistant, Optometric Assistant, Outpatient Surgery Assistant, Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 18.51 |
$38,500 |
25% |
$ 19.59 |
$40,750 |
Median |
$ 21.39 |
$44,480 |
75% |
$ 22.97 |
$47,790 |
90% |
$ 25.08 |
$52,160 |
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Average |
$ 21.49 |
$44,710 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2022 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Ambulatory healthcare services
| 76% |
- Hospitals; state, local, and private
| 15% |
- Administrative and support services
| 3% |
- Nursing and residential care facilities
| 2% |
- Educational services; state, local, and private
| 2% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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- Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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- Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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- Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
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- Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
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- Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
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- Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
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- Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Vermont |
2022 employment |
1,284 |
2032 employment |
1,415 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
1.0% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
184 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
Postsecondary nondegree award
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
None
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Important
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- Level of activity is Moderate
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Low | | High |
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Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require
over 1 year up to and including 2 years
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 0% |
Bachelor's degree | | 17% |
Associate's degree | | 0% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 62% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 21% |
Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
More at O*NET |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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- Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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- Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
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- Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
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- Dispose of biomedical waste in accordance with standards.
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- Interview patients to gather medical information.
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- Record vital statistics or other health information.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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