Medical Assistants
Machines can already do 31% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 63%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Medical Assistants in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 31% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 5% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 63% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 817,870 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $45,690 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 85% for contact with people.
- Also called: Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Chiropractor Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Doctor's Assistant.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interview patients to obtain medical information and measure their vital signs, weight, and height | 16% | 20% to 60% | |
| Record patients' medical history, vital statistics, or information such as test results in medical records | 12% | 70% to 95% | |
| Help physicians examine and treat patients, handing them instruments or materials or performing such tasks as giving injections or removing sutures | 8% | 3% to 30% | |
| Prepare treatment rooms for patient examinations, keeping the rooms neat and clean | 7% | 3% to 30% | |
| Collect blood, tissue, or other laboratory specimens, log the specimens, and prepare them for testing | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Perform general office duties, such as answering telephones, taking dictation, or completing insurance forms | 7% | 65% to 92% | |
| Clean and sterilize instruments and dispose of contaminated supplies | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| Explain treatment procedures, medications, diets, or physicians' instructions to patients | 5% | 40% to 68% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills medical assistants use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $95,480
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $74,310
- Radiation Therapists55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $105,310
- Physical Therapist Assistants61% of tasks by 2035 · US median $68,380
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Medical Assistants?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of medical assistants?
Machines can do 31% of the tasks of medical assistants today and 63% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 31-9092.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Medical Assistants: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/medical-assistants/