Medical Assistant Duties: Answering telephones, greeting patients, updating and filing patients' medical records, filling out insurance forms, handling correspondence, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission and laboratory services, and handling billing and bookkeeping. Salary:30,590 Education: Medical assistants take vital signs, maintain records and schedule appointments in hospitals, physician's offices and other health-care settings. Some medical assistants perform clinical tasks, such as taking X-rays or giving injections, depending on their qualifications and state law. The minimum education for a medical assistant is a high school diploma. Demand: Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians and other health practitioners running smoothly.