The Careers in Medical Assisting Study Brief is intended as a quick reference for individuals currently exploring career entry and career advancement options, including students investigating employment, employees planning for a career change or anyone who wishes to learn more about what it would be like to work in the applied medical field. A brief introduction covers some quick facts about medical assistants, including median pay, education/trainning required and prospective job outlook with current facts and figures. Included in this Study Brief are sections on reasons to choose a career in medical assisting, detailed descriptions of types of medical assistants, including administrative medical assistants, clinical medical assistants, and specialized medical assistants. A summary is also provided that lists other types of technical medical assisting roles, their typical duties, and training or education requirements. Typical roles and responsibilities of a medical assistant are spelled out along with education and training requirements, including information on courses, practicum, degree programs, certification programs and exams. An up-to-date snapshot of reference statistics on employment trends and average earnings for medical assistants is provided.
