# Medical Assistants > Perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician. - Code: 31-9092.00 (O*NET-SOC; SOC 2018 31-9092) - Family: [Healthcare Support](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations#family-31), one of its 20 occupations - Tasks: 20 tasks (19 core and 1 supplemental) - Page: https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9092.00 - JSON: https://foundation.org.ai/data/tasks/31-9092.00.json ## What the work is made of 1. Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height. Core task · Task 2024 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 2. Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies. Core task · Task 2033 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 3. Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records. Core task · Task 2026 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 4. Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients. Core task · Task 2029 · Rated by 59 people who do the job, August 2021 5. Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean. Core task · Task 2032 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 6. Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing. Core task · Task 2028 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 7. Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician. Core task · Task 2025 · Rated by 59 people who do the job, August 2021 8. Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures. Core task · Task 2030 · Rated by 56 people who do the job, August 2021 9. Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses. Core task · Task 2040 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 10. Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic. Core task · Task 2036 · Rated by 59 people who do the job, August 2021 11. Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms. Core task · Task 2038 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 12. Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician. Core task · Task 2027 · Rated by 55 people who do the job, August 2021 13. Authorize drug refills and provide prescription information to pharmacies. Core task · Task 2031 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 14. Change dressings on wounds. Core task · Task 2035 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 15. Schedule appointments for patients. Core task · Task 2034 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 16. Inventory and order medical, lab, or office supplies or equipment. Core task · Task 2039 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 17. Contact medical facilities or departments to schedule patients for tests or admission. Core task · Task 2037 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 18. Operate x-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), or other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests. Core task · Task 2043 · Rated by 59 people who do the job, August 2021 19. Set up medical laboratory equipment. Core task · Task 2041 · Rated by 58 people who do the job, August 2021 20. Keep financial records or perform other bookkeeping duties, such as handling credit or collections or mailing monthly statements to patients. Supplemental task · Task 2042 · Rated by 57 people who do the job, August 2021 ## More in Healthcare Support - [Dental Assistants](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9091.00): 16 tasks - [Endoscopy Technicians](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9099.02): 12 tasks - [Healthcare Support Workers, All Other](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9099.00): no tasks listed - [Home Health Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-1121.00): 15 tasks - [Massage Therapists](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9011.00): 14 tasks - [Medical Equipment Preparers](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9093.00): 15 tasks - [Medical Transcriptionists](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9094.00): 15 tasks - [Nursing Assistants](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-1131.00): 33 tasks - [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-2012.00): 15 tasks - [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-2011.00): 22 tasks - [Orderlies](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-1132.00): 22 tasks - [Personal Care Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-1122.00): 11 tasks - [Pharmacy Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9095.00): 14 tasks - [Phlebotomists](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9097.00): 23 tasks - [Physical Therapist Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-2022.00): 19 tasks - [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-2021.00): 21 tasks - [Psychiatric Aides](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-1133.00): 17 tasks - [Speech-Language Pathology Assistants](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9099.01): 11 tasks - [Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers](https://foundation.org.ai/occupations/31-9096.00): 28 tasks ## Where this comes from Quoted from O*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0: free to copy and reuse, with credit. 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