A career as a medical assistant will give you a job that is not likely to be affected by fluctuations in the economy. That's because healthcare is something that will always be needed. As a medical assistant, you will help a doctor to care for his or her patients. In that role, you are likely to perform routine treatments, do lab tests and help to maintain the office records.

The actual duties you will perform as a medical assistant will vary by state law. In some states medical assistants who have specialized training are allowed to draw blood or take x-rays. In most states, the assistant is expected to take a patient's medical history, record his or her weight, the pulse rate, and blood pressure. They are entrusted with explaining to patients what the doctor is about to do, and answering any questions the patient may have about the examination. During the exam, assistants hand the doctor any medical instruments or medications. They may also collect lab specimens, and instruct patients about how to take their medicine and how to stay on special diets. After the exam, the assistant tidies up the room, disposing of used materials, arranging equipment and sterilizing any instruments that were used.

In some jobs, assistants may also have clerical responsibilities, like answering the phones, greeting patients, taking them to the exam room and updating their medical records. Many assistants fill out insurance forms and schedule appointments, arrange for hospital admissions and lab services.

Some assistants are brought on board to handle billing and bookkeeping for the doctor. But this will really depend on the size of the doctor's office you work for. If it is a large office, the medical assistant will usually spend only a small amount of time on clerical duties, which may not be true in a smaller office of let's say three people. Medical assistants are always supervised by doctors, other health workers, or office managers.

Some of the titles that you may have include Clinical Medical Assistant, an Administrative Medical Assistant, a Medical Receptionist, a Medical Insurance Biller, a Medical Bookkeeper or a Laboratory Assistant. You might work in Physicians' Offices, Offices of Health Practitioners or Outpatient Care Centers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians; 12 percent in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities; and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, like chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. There are also medical assistant jobs in outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities.

The future of employment is bright for medical assistants. Projected statistics show it is expected grow 35-percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for other occupations. Technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the American population will see an increased need for all health care workers.