Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices and clinics of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors and optometrists running smoothly. Medical assisting is one of the nation’s fastest growing careers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical assistants have both administrative and clinical duties. They may answer the telephone, greet patients, fill out medical records and update them as needed, schedule appointments and handle correspondence and billing. On the clinical side, medical assistants often are the people who take medical histories, prepare patients for examination, assist the doctor during appointments and perform basic laboratory tests, along with other clinical responsibilities. This course prepares students to sit for the NHA CCMA Credential.