Clinical Medical Assistant Job Description Example

By | September 1, 2023
Clinical Medical Assistant job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Clinical Medical Assistants provide quality assistance to medical staff. Image source: hmi.edu

Clinical Medical Assistant Job Description Example

What Does a Clinical Medical Assistant Do?

A clinical medical assistant is an employee who works as the support system of a medical practitioner.

The clinical medical assistant job description involves carrying out series of tasks in the clinic that makes it easier and less stressful for other medical staff to do their job.

Every medical establishment recognizes the important of a clinical medical assistant because they are the “Right Hand Man” of the medical personnel. This is because, while the doctor or physician gets the actual job done, the assistant facilitates the job, creating a smooth flow of activities in the clinic.

Due to the tight schedules of physicians work, medical assistants will ensure that things are well arranged and organized in the clinic, ensuring that patients are attended to at scheduled times, without avoidable hiccups.

He/she will endeavor to be familiar with all hospital procedures so as not to be confused in carrying out follow-ups and checkups with patients as directed by the doctor.

He/she is expected to be knowledgeable about his/her patient’s health history as this is very important during treatment.

Clinical medical assistants also play the role of an intermediary between doctors and patients.

He/she will meet with patients, interact with them, and prepare them for appointment with the doctor. Therefore, the medical assistant must exhibit a high sense of compassion and tolerance in dealing with patients; some of whom may be restless, agitated and even irritated by their health condition.

He/she must be able to maintain a high level of professionalism when dealing with patients so as not to get emotionally involved in their treatments, as this could affect the assistant’s professional judgment, which could pose a threat to the medical practice and delivery of effective treatment.

The duties of a medical assistant in a clinical environment also entail the use of medical/clinical tools, such as stethoscopes, sterilization tools, and laboratory equipment.

He/she must exhibit competence and confidence in attending to patients using clinical tools, so as not to injure them or give the impression that the medical assistant doesn’t know what he/she is doing, which can affect patients’ judgment of the clinic and possibly scare them away.

As someone in the medical field, he/she needs to be abreast with medical terminologies in order to be able to interpret coded medical messages and understand the terms involved in patients’ treatment.

This is important in safeguarding information of patients’ health condition and enhancing confidentiality in the clinic.

Clinical Medical Assistant Job Description Example

Here is an example of the clinical medical assistant job description, comprising of major duties, roles, and responsibilities, which people who work in that position usually perform.

  • Follow-up, as well checkup on patients following the doctor’s directive
  • Function as intermediary between the doctor and patient by meeting with patients, interacting with them, and scheduling appointments for them to see the doctor
  • Work together with the medical team during medical procedures and ensure that all equipments needed for the operation are not only available but are also sterilized and in good condition
  • Perform administrative tasks, such as handling of patients files and scheduling of appointments with the doctor at appropriate times; and also informing both the doctor and the patient of any changes
  • Keep the clinic well organized, and ensure patients are attended to as scheduled

Clinical Medical Assistant Resume Preparation

When writing a resume for the clinical medical assistant job, the work experience section of a resume can be written using information from the sample job description given above.

Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for the Clinical Medical Assistant Post

The following are important qualities, which most employers would like to see in applicants for the post of clinical medical assistant for them to be considered for the job:

  • Good human relations: As a service attendant, the medical assistant usually make contact with many patients daily in the course of their job, therefore, they must be able to relate well with all patients. This includes tolerating their impatience and rudeness; and maintaining politeness and decorum
  • Tactfulness: The job of the clinical medical assistant involves dealing with people’s lives, thus, they need to be very careful to avoid making any mistakes
  • Communication skills: In order to pass and receive messages from patients, the assistant must be able to communicate effectively so as to have a strong understanding of patients needs and not to make assumptions
  • Braveness: The medical assistant must be able to comport themselves when handling critical or life threatening illnesses; maintain professional conduct; and work to save patients’ lives regardless of how bad their situation might seem