What is Medical assistant?
A '''medical assistant''' (sometimes called an MA) is a medical professional who works in medical settings along with doctors and nurses. They do things to help doctors and nurses with their jobs, and may perform many different tasks.<ref>Medical Assistant Schools Directory. [http://medicalassistantschoolspro.com/ ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319031430/http://medicalassistantschoolspro.com/ |date=2015-03-19 }}</ref> Some medical assistants are similar in some ways to a [[nurse]]. They take care of patients in hospitals and other medical facilities, and they perform other tasks to help run the office. They are different from a nurse mainly in that medical assistants cannot plan out what a patient's care will be like. They can only do what a nurse or a doctor instruct them to do. Other types of medical assistants work in the reception area of a doctor's office, similar to a [[secretary]]. These medical assistants may file paperwork, update medical records, and greet patients.<ref>[http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm Medical Assistants - Occupational Outlook Handbook]</ref> ==Education== Medical assistants usually go to school for between one and two years. They may hold an associate's degree,<ref>[http://www.medicalassistantschools.com/associate-degree-programs/ Medical Assistant Associate's Degree Programs - Medicalassistantschools.com]</ref> or in some cases a certificate if they already have an associate's degree in something else.<ref>[http://www.medicalassistantschools.com/diploma-and-certificate-programs/ Medical Assistant Diploma and Certificate Programs - Medicalassistantschools.com]</ref> ==Pay range== Medical assistants tend to earn between $20,000 and $40,000 a year in [[salary]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.medicalassistants.net/salary |title=Medical Assistant Salary - How Much do Medical Assistants Make? |access-date=2012-12-07 |archive-date=2012-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231160938/http://www.medicalassistants.net/salary |url