Where Do Medical Assistants Work
By: Joann Owens, Retired RN | Updated December 2025
Medical assistants (MAs) are a vital member of the healthcare community, offering valuable administrative and clinical support to keep patient care running smoothly. Their skillset allows them to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including physician offices, hospitals, outpatient care centers, and more. Let’s take a closer look at a few common locations for medical assistants to work and what it’s like to work in each.
Physician office
Medical assistants are most commonly found in physician offices, such as primary care, family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), or others. Medical assistants working in physician offices can expect a predictable, Monday through Friday daytime schedule and steady patient flow. They may handle a variety of tasks, including taking vital signs, preparing exam rooms, updating patient records, scheduling appointments, and assisting with minor procedures.
A physician office may be great for MAs who want:
- A consistent and predictable schedule
- Steady patient flow with typically non-emergent concerns
- A variety of administrative and clinical tasks to complete throughout the workday
- Ability to build ongoing familiarity and relationships with patients
Specialty Clinic
Medical assistants may work in a specialty clinic or office, including dermatology, oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, endocrinology, urology, and others. This environment allows medical assistants to develop deeper expertise in a particular area of medicine. They may focus on more technical or clinical tasks, such as performing an EKG in cardiology or assisting with a biopsy in dermatology. Other tasks may include taking vitals, scheduling appointments, updating patient charts, and managing specialized equipment. Like a physician office, a specialty clinic or office typically operates during daytime hours, Monday through Friday.
A specialty clinic or office may be great for MAs who want:
- More technical or specialized responsibilities
- A deeper understanding of a particular area of medicine
- A consistent and predictable schedule
Outpatient Care Center
An outpatient care center may include urgent care, ambulatory surgery, or same-day clinics. Patient flow and types of care needed within outpatient care centers can vary and may change quickly throughout the day. Medical assistants working in these environments often support patient triage, equipment sterilization, and minor procedures or surgeries. They will check vitals, administer injections, update patient records, schedule appointments, and more. These centers are often fast-moving and may be stressful or emotionally taxing, depending on patient volume and care needs.
An outpatient care center may be great for MAs who want:
- A fast-paced environment with lots of variety
- More hands-on clinical work
- A heightened focus on processes and procedures, efficiency, and accuracy
Hospitals
Yes, medical assistants are found in hospitals, too. They may work in the emergency department, inpatient units, or other clinics. Additionally, they may choose to focus on specific departments, such as cardiology, oncology, women’s health, or others. Often, they will work with multiple providers, patients with more advanced health needs, and larger medical teams. Medical assistants working in a hospital may handle a variety of tasks, including patient intake procedures (e.g., vitals, medical history), specimen collection, patient room management (e.g., restock, sterilize), appointment scheduling, procedure assistance, and more.
A hospital may be great for MAs who want:
- More varied hours, which may include nights or weekends
- To be a part of a larger, multi-disciplinary team
- Exposure to a variety of medical needs and levels of severity
Top considerations for choosing the right environment as an MA
As you can see, there are several paths you could take in your career as a medical assistant. Each work environment offers a different experience, patient population, and level of clinical involvement. Which one is right for you? It’s helpful to consider the following factors:
- Pace: Are you looking for an environment that is calmer and more predictable, or fast paced and varied?
- Schedule: Do you want to work daytime hours during the week? Or would you prefer to have added flexibility and take on night or weekend hours as well?
- Patient relationships: Would you prefer to see patients regularly and develop more familiarity and relationships with them? Or are you comfortable with one-time encounters?
- Skills: Do you want to specialize or offer a broad skill set?
These are just a few considerations to add to your decision-making process. Other factors may include salary, benefits, team structure, and others. The important thing to remember is that you have options and can change your mind. You may start in an outpatient center but find yourself daydreaming about diving a little deeper into a particular medical specialty. Or, you may start in a hospital and decide that you want to have a stronger sense of community and connection that you may find in a physician's office.
No matter where you choose to work as an MA, you will play a vital role in delivering compassionate, high-quality patient care.
Ready to start your career as an MA?
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