A Medical Assistant perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of medical doctors, podiatrists, chiropractors, and health practitioners running smoothly. The duties of the medical assistant vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, medical doctors, or other health practitioner. Those in large practices tend to specialize in a particular area, under the supervision of department administrators.

According to the United States Department of Labor, employment for medical assistants is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants jobs among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with formal training.

The earnings of medical assistants vary, depending on their experience, skill level, and location. Median annual earnings of medical assistants were $24,610 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,650 and $28,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34,650.

Medical assisting programs are offered in vocational or technical high schools, jlocal county colleges and online distance education programs. St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants provides a good model of a online program for medical assistants, program details can be viewed at www.medassistant.org.

St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants offers online classes in: Introduction to becoming a Medical Assistant, Medical Terminology, Human Body Planes, Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Office Professionalism, Patient Communication, Medical Records, Basic Medical Law, Scheduling Appointments, Medical Billing and Insurance Claims, Infection Control, Surgical Instruments, Emergency Care, Clinical Equipment, Patient History and Physicals, EKG and Lab Testing, Specimen Collection and Lab Safety, Introduction to Patient Medications.

The sheer number of distance learning and online degrees available is enormous and is growing daily. Similarly the number of schools and institutions that offer online is also expanding rapidly. online programs are often very flexible and allow students to study online at their own pace and convenience, this makes becoming a well trained medical assistant easier now then ever. online as also made medical assistant education more accessible to students who otherwise could not attend older rigid classroom based program. Distance education is an excellent and very affordable way for students to study for a rewarding career as a medical assistant.