Demand for healthcare workers is surging across the country, creating employment opportunities for professionals across a range of occupations, including medical assistants. The growing population of older adults — who use healthcare services more often than younger people — is expected to drive much of this demand, particularly in certain regions.
New York state, for example, has the fourth-largest population of adults over 60 in the country (4.6 million), according to the state’s Office for the Aging. By 2025, adults aged 60 and over are expected to make up about 25% of New York’s population. Additionally, more than 40% of all adults in the state suffer from a chronic illness, such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.
Medical assistants are versatile members of the primary care workforce, providing direct patient care and handling numerous administrative functions in clinics, hospitals, and other environments. They are also frequently members of the communities they serve, giving them a unique ability to connect with their patients.
For those seeking to launch a medical assisting career on Staten Island or elsewhere, exploring what a medical assistant does and where they can work can help them determine if this career path is right for them.
What Do Medical Assistants Do on Staten Island?
Medical assistants have a multifaceted role in healthcare, often balancing clinical and administrative responsibilities. Although their exact job descriptions vary based on their work setting and employer — as well as the state where they practice — medical assistants generally share some common duties.
Clinical Responsibilities
Medical assistants play a vital role in patient care, performing an array of clinical tasks and providing support to healthcare providers to ensure patients have a positive experience. Their clinical duties often involve direct patient interaction, requiring both technical expertise and a compassionate approach.
Common clinical responsibilities for medical assistants include the following:
Conducting patient intake, including interviewing patients and recording their medical histories
Measuring patients’ vital signs, such as their weight and blood pressure
Collecting and preparing specimens for laboratory testing
Administering electrocardiogram (EKG) tests
A medical assistant’s clinical duties vary not only by their workplace setting but also by the regulations of the state in which they practice. Some states require medical assistants to be licensed or certified, allowing them to perform a wider variety of clinical functions, including drawing blood or instructing patients about medication.
Medical assistants in New York state are unlicensed, so there are some limitations on what they can do, according to the New York State Education Department. For example, they are not permitted to administer vaccinations or take X-rays. However, they are allowed to perform a host of other important clinical responsibilities, including preparing patients for exams and explaining medical procedures to patients and their families.
Administrative Responsibilities
In addition to their clinical responsibilities, medical assistants typically handle many administrative tasks. They are often the first and, in many cases, the last person patients interact with when they visit a healthcare facility, greeting them when they enter and walking them through billing before they leave. They also carry out much of the clerical work involved in running a medical facility.
Medical assistants’ administrative duties typically include the following:
Scheduling patients’ appointments
Filing and updating medical records
Assisting patients with insurance-related issues, such as completing forms and coding medical data
Handling billing and bookkeeping
Maintaining medical and office supplies
Work Settings for Medical Assistants on Staten Island
Medical assistants work in a wide range of settings, with the majority working in either a physician’s office (56%) or a hospital (16%), according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The remainder of the nation’s 784,000 medical assistants work in urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, assisted living facilities, and the offices of other healthcare practitioners such as optometrists, podiatrists, and chiropractors.
At nearly 40,000 strong, New York state has the fourth-largest medical assistant workforce in the country, according to the BLS, with the vast majority working in physicians’ offices. According to the New York Health Foundation, medical assistants in the state work in the following settings:
Offices of physicians: 63.3%
Hospitals: 13.2%
Offices of other practitioners: 6.6%
Outpatient care centers: 6.1%
The remainder of New York medical assistants (nearly 11%) work in various other settings, such as higher education institutions and nursing homes.
Medical assistants on Staten Island — as well as in the rest of New York City and the state more broadly — can pursue employment in any of these workplace settings, including in a number of prestigious healthcare facilities. For instance, Newsweek ranks several New York City hospitals among the best in the nation, including Mount Sinai Hospital (ranked No. 8 in the country), New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell (No. 14), and NYU Langone Hospitals (No. 18).
Job Outlook for Medical Assistants on Staten Island
Aspiring and practicing medical assistants on Staten Island — and across the country — can expect a robust labor market in the coming years. Multiple factors will contribute to this promising job market for medical assistants, including the growth of the older adult population.
In New York City, adults 60 and older account for roughly 20% of the population, according to the city’s Department for the Aging. That number is expected to continue to grow over the next several years, creating greater demand for healthcare services and the professionals who deliver them, including medical assistants.
The state Department of Labor estimates that the number of jobs for medical assistants in New York City will grow by roughly 28% between 2020 and 2030, creating approximately 3,500 new jobs.
Employment of medical assistants across New York state is projected to grow by almost 27% — the equivalent of more than 9,000 new jobs — between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Nationally, employment of medical assistants is projected to grow by 15% between 2023 and 2033, creating about 118,000 new jobs, according to the BLS. The agency estimates there will be nearly 120,000 job openings for medical assistants across the country each year during this period due to employment growth as well as career changes and retirements among current medical assistants.
Begin a Rewarding Career in Medical Assisting
Medical assistants are integral to the smooth operation of healthcare facilities, providing essential support to both patients and providers. As demand for healthcare services grows, medical assistants will increasingly be needed to help bridge gaps in care and streamline operations at medical facilities in New York City and beyond.
If you are considering pursuing a career in medical assisting, explore the Associate of Science in Medical Assisting program at Saint Paul’s School of Nursing on Staten Island. The 72-week program — also offered at our Queens campus — can provide you with essential training, helping you develop the clinical and administrative skills you need to work as a medical assistant in various types of healthcare settings. It also can prepare you to sit for the registered medical assistant (RMA) or certified medical assistant (CMA) certification exam.
Learn how Saint Paul’s School of Nursing can help you enter this in-demand field.
Recommended Readings
How to Become a Registered Medical Assistant
Diversity in Medical Assisting
Exploring the Role of a Medical Assistant