Medical Assistants (MAs) take on a wide variety of tasks depending on the office or clinic in which they work. Often, MAs are responsible for completing initial patient assessments. This might involve checking a patient’s blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, and temperature. Medical Assistants may also perform a physical exam and note the patient’s height and weight. In addition, doctors and nurses rely on Medical Assistants to gather a patient’s medical history, asking questions about their current and past conditions. Medical Assistants often draw blood when a doctor orders lab work. Other common job duties include maintaining patients’ files, scheduling appointments, assisting with forms, clean medical equipment, stock exam rooms, and a host of other responsibilities.