If you’re interested in becoming a medical assistant, you may want to know: what’s a day in the life of a medical assistant like? While it’s a simple question, there’s no simple answer. Medical assistants have a range of clinical and administrative tasks that can make the role feel different depending on where they’re needed most.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything a medical assistant’s daily routine can involve to help you get a better feel for the role.
What Is a Medical Assistant’s Daily Routine?
Medical assistants can wear a lot of hats from day to day — or even during the same shift. Early in the day, they may bring patients to exam rooms, record vital signs, and assist doctors with exams. Later in the same shift, they might work at the front desk, greeting patients and scheduling appointments.
A medical assistant’s daily tasks can also look different depending on where they work. Some medical assistants work in hospitals, where they may have nonstop interaction with patients in busy urgent care environments. Others work in doctor’s offices or clinics, which may give them more downtime to focus on administrative tasks.
Regardless of where they work, most medical assistants spend their days interacting with patients, doctors, and other healthcare team members. For American Career College alumnus Christian P., that’s one of the things that drew him to medical assisting.
“I like the idea of working in a doctor's office and being really close to the patients,” he said. “I think it's a really personable job and that's interesting to me.”
What a Day in the Life of a Medical Assistant Looks Like
No 2 days as a medical assistant look exactly the same, but here’s what a typical shift may involve.
Beginning of Shift
At the beginning of a shift, a medical assistant may take some time to prepare for the day. This might involve reviewing the schedule, preparing exam rooms, and checking supplies to make sure everything’s well-stocked for upcoming appointments.
Once they’re ready for the day, a medical assistant may start taking patients back for appointments. Before a patient sees the doctor for an exam, a medical assistant usually records their vital signs, like temperature and blood pressure. A medical assistant may also ask questions about a patient’s medical history, allergies or medications, and their symptoms or medical concerns.
Mid-Shift
During the day, medical assistants often juggle multiple tasks at once. They may continue to bring patients to exam rooms while also giving injections, drawing blood, labeling specimens for lab testing, recording EKGs, and cleaning wounds. On a typical shift, medical assistants may see dozens of patients, depending on where they work.
The hands-on nature of medical assisting is what excites ACC alumna Brenda G. about the role. She got into healthcare because she wanted to make a difference.
“I felt like I needed a more hands-on job and I found that through medical assisting,” Gonzalez said. “I want to better the healthcare system. I want to make sure every patient is happy and give the best care that’s possible.”
It’s also common for medical assistants to help doctors with exams. Doctors may want medical assistants in exam rooms to record patient information into charts. Sometimes, medical assistants may even assist with basic procedures, like suture removal.
ACC alumna Shiran S. spends her days helping not just one doctor, but 26 providers in an ophthalmology department. She checks patients’ vision at the start of appointments. Additionally, she surveys patients before and after they have procedures.
End of Shift
Later in a medical assistant’s shift, they may keep working with patients, or they may transition to the front office. The administrative side of their role can involve answering phones, scheduling patient appointments, responding to emails or patient messages, and calling patients back with lab results. At the same time, they may also be checking patients in and out for appointments.
This versatility gives medical assistants a unique role in many healthcare settings, according to ACC alumnus Christopher F.. “I think sometimes medical assistants are undervalued, but we're very important because we're running the front of the office and back office,” he said. “We're very important. The doctors look to us for a lot of things."
As a medical assistant’s shift comes to a close, they may have a few end-of-day tasks to complete before leaving. This can often include finishing any paperwork or documentation, checking messages one last time, cleaning exam rooms, restocking supplies, and preparing patient charts for the next day.
And then, it’s time for a medical assistant to end their shift and get ready to do it all again the next day.
Is Medical Assisting Right for You?
As you’ve probably learned, medical assisting is a hands-on, interactive role with a wide range of responsibilities. It may be a good fit if you’re extroverted and enjoy being around people. The role also requires you to balance competing priorities, so it helps if you’re organized and detail-oriented with strong time management skills.
If that sounds like you, it may be worth exploring a career in medical assisting. You can train to become a medical assistant relatively quickly, as most programs take about 1 to 2 years. At American Career College, the Medical Assistant program can be completed in as few as 9 months.
Start Your Journey to Medical Assisting with ACC
There’s no standard description of a day in the life of a medical assistant, but it commonly involves prepping exam rooms, measuring vital signs, assisting doctors, and handling front-office duties. It can be an exciting role that allows you to work in both the clinical and administrative sides of healthcare. If you want to provide great patient care while keeping medical offices running smoothly, medical assisting may be right for you.
The Medical Assistant program at American Career College can help you learn both the clinical and administrative skills you need for the role. The blended format means you can take classes online while coming to campus 2 days a week for hands-on instruction and practice. In as few as 9 months, you could be graduating with your medical assistant diploma!
To learn more about ACC’s Medical Assistant program, reach out to request more information.
