Jobs / Healthcare / 31-9092.00

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.

US jobs
817,870
Median wage
$45,690 a year
Job family
Healthcare

Can agents do the work of medical assistants?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Healthcare: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)

Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.

Evidence: MedAgentBench, 69.7% of tasks completed.

0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.

  • 12%Administer basic health care or medical treatmentsNot measured
  • 10%Schedule appointmentsNot measured
  • 8%Maintain health or medical recordsNot measured
  • 7%Prepare medical equipment or work areas for useNot measured
  • 6%Assist healthcare practitioners during medical proceduresNot measured
  • 6%Explain medical information to patients or family membersNot measured
  • 5%Execute financial transactionsNot measured
  • 5%Prescribe medical treatments or devicesNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in healthcare, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

  • OSWorld 2.0by HKU and Snorkel AIProject level · Binary completion rate (full set, 500 steps)
    44.3%Claude Opus 5 (max, batch tool) · 17 Sep 2026
    Emerging
  • SOP-Benchby AmazonTask level · Task success rate
    72.4%Claude 4 Opus (ReAct agent) · 23 Feb 2026
    Strong

Context only

These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.

  • GDPvalby OpenAIProject level · Wins plus ties against experts
    84.9%GPT-5.5 · Apr 2026
    Strong
  • GDPval-AAby Artificial AnalysisProject level · GDPval-AA Elo
    1866 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Max, Default Fallback) · 10 Oct 2026
    Unrated

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height.
  • Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies.
  • Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records.
  • Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients.
  • Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean.
  • Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing.
  • Show patients to examination rooms and prepare them for the physician.
  • Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures.
  • Perform routine laboratory tests and sample analyses.
  • Greet and log in patients arriving at office or clinic.
  • Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms.
  • Prepare and administer medications as directed by a physician.
Other job titles for this occupation (42)

Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) · Chiropractor Assistant · Clinical Medical Assistant · Doctor's Assistant · Health Assistant · Ophthalmic Assistant · Ophthalmological Assistant · Optometric Assistant · Outpatient Surgery Assistant · Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) · Autopsy Assistant · Bilingual Medical Assistant · Cardiology Medical Assistant · Chiropractic Assistant · Client Services Coordinator · Clinic Assistant · Clinic Medical Assistant · Dermatology Medical Assistant · Doctor Assistant · Family Medicine Medical Assistant · Health Unit Clerk · Hospital Clinic Assistant · Medical Assistant (MA) · Medical Office Worker · Medical Support Assistant · Medical Technician Assistant (Medical Tech Assistant) · OB/GYN Medical Assistant (Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Assistant) · Ocular Care Aide · Ophthalmic Aide · Optometric Aide · Optometrist Assistant · Optometry Assistant · Orthopedic Assistant · Orthopedic Medical Assistant · Pediatric Medical Assistant · Physician's Aide · Podiatric Aide · Podiatric Assistant · Podiatrist Assistant · Primary Care Medical Assistant · Respiratory Therapist Assistant · Urgent Care Medical Assistant