A Day in the Life of a Medical Assistant

Have you been thinking about starting your career in the medical profession but not sure if medical assisting is the right path for you? At Montes Healthcare College, we have been helping Californians discover their potential and train for a new career since 2016. Join us as some of our medical assisting alumni share what a typical day at work looks like for them.

Jaqui at the Midwifery Clinic

I’m the medical assistant for three busy midwives and help manage their days. My day begins with reviewing all the appointments for my midwife team. I ensure all the necessary paperwork is in order and pull up the medical records for the midwives to review. I prepare the exam rooms for whatever procedures we have coming up that day — Pap smears, ultrasounds, cervical checks, fetal non-stress tests, etc. When the patients arrive, I take their vital signs and collect their urine to test for proteins, routine labs in this setting. I then show the patient to a room and get a history and ask for updates since their last appointment. I also ask if they have any concerns or anything special they want to discuss with the midwife. I condense and relay all pertinent information to the midwife before they enter the room so they are prepared. I act as a chaperone for the patient and assist the midwife with the exam or procedure. Once the exam is complete, I get everything the patient needs before they leave — printing prescriptions, resource information, and ancillary appointment coordination. If the patient needs her flu shot or TDaP vaccine, I administer it. Once the patient leaves, I update her chart and prepare the exam room and our midwife for the next appointment.

Aliyah at the Outpatient Surgical Center

I am a medical assistant at a busy outpatient surgical center. My role is to man the front desk and be the face of our clinic. My days are busy and exciting. I greet every patient that enters our clinic and coordinate the schedules of all of our doctors. I take and make calls to insurance companies, other providers and clinics, and patients and their external care teams. I am responsible for all of the medical coding and billing that keeps our clinic funded. I manage all of the patient records and make sure the clinic staff has all the forms they need from their patients. I check patients in and then schedule their follow-up appointments. I am the eyes and ears of our clinic and our providers count on me to know what’s going on. I keep the calendar updated and organize the entire front end of the office. It is rewarding to know that without me, the clinic would just not flow as well.

Lorenzo at an Urgent Care Center

I am a medical assistant at a local urgent care center in Gardena, California. What do I do here? The better question is, what don’t I do! Each day is different and exciting, and I am never quite sure what to expect. I am the “doer” of the department, helping each of the providers and patients. I am charged with stocking the exam rooms and setting up for procedures. I take vital signs, give injections, and draw labs. I assist the providers during procedures and provide discharging patients with educational materials and follow-up information. We see all sorts of things from simple stomach bugs to traumatic injuries, you never know who’s going to walk through the door.

If these days at work sound like something you are interested in, contact the staff at Montes Healthcare College to find out how you can have similar workdays in just six months! Find your calling and make a positive difference in your community when you become a medical assistant.