Duties

• The duties required of a clinic assistant include collecting blood, tissue or other specimens; logging and preparing them for testing; explaining treatment procedures, diets and medications and physicians' instructions to patients; changing dressings on wounds; keeping financial records; performing other bookkeeping duties such as handling collections and credit and mailing monthly statements to patients; and greeting and logging in patients when they arrive at the office or clinic. Cleaning and sterilizing instruments and disposing of contaminated supplies or equipment are also parts of the job.
  
  

Skills

• The skills required to become a medical assistant include active listening skills, so patients are able to communicate effectively with you; speaking skills, so you can convey relevant and useful information effectively to others; instructing skills, so you can teach others how to do things, such as following treatment procedures; reading comprehension skills, in order to understand medical forms and documents, reports and files; oral expression skills, so you can comprehend what others are saying, namely patients and other health care professionals; oral expression skills, so communication between you and others is efficient; speech clarity, so people can understand what you are saying; and speech recognition skills, so you can understand medical terminology in a variety of accents and understand people whot have speech problems.
  
  

Requirements

• Clinic assistants must have at least a high school diploma in addition to a two-year degree or certificate from an accredited school in a related field. Clinic assistants must take and pass rigorous courses, such as physiology, anatomy, medical terminology, transcription, typing, accounting, record keeping and insurance processing. During training, students learn diagnostic procedures, laboratory techniques, clinical procedures, first aid, pharmaceutical principles and the administration of medications. Also, they study patient relations, ethics, medical law and office practices. Most accredited schools offer internships or on-the-job training, which provides valuable work experience in doctor's officer, hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities.
  
  

Knowledge

• Clinic assistants must have knowledge of medical lab procedures, interviewing procedures, patient care procedures and medical office procedures. It is also important for them to know medical terminology, medical insurance systems, clinical sterilizing techniques and sanitation practices in health care settings. They need to know these things in order to properly and safely carry out the duties required of a clinic assistant.
  
  

Working Conditions

• Clinic assistants usually work in clean, well-lighted working environments and have to interact with people. They should be able to multi-task, since they will have to do more than one thing at once. Most clinic assistants work 40-hour work weeks, but others work part time, evenings, weekends and holidays.