Duties and responsibilities:

Medical assistants help physicians and nurses deliver patient care. They schedule appointments; take blood pressures, respirations, temperatures; and perform other routine patient pre-examination procedures. Sometimes they help with office and clerical tasks. Medical assistants work in hospitals, clinics and private physician offices.

Average salary: $17,000-$18,000

Educational requirements:

Students should complete high school with courses in biology, physical science, office management, communications, and human relations, although medical assistant training programs may accept GED certificates. Medical assistant trsining programs are provided by community colleges and for- profit technical schools. They may take between six months and two years to complete.