Associate of Science - Medical Assisting (Optional Co-op)

Medical assistants are a vital part of most health care teams. They help doctors, nurses and other medical professionals by working with patients or handling various tasks around the office.

Usually, they’re the people who call clients from the waiting room, greet people, ask why they are visiting, and show them to their room. They spend a lot of time caring for patients one-on-one, doing things like drawing blood, giving injections, taking vital signs, delivering medication, and educating them about how to follow up. Sometimes, they even assist in minor surgeries or hold management positions.

Many Medical Assistants use their education as a foundation to pursue additional careers in allied health care, like nursing.

Duties vary by workplace and, very often, medical assistants will choose to focus on a particular specialty, like pediatrics or family practice. Some medical assistants eventually choose careers in administration, and work entirely in offices, instead of with patients.