TO OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENTS ON TRAINING MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, 800 4-PAGE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO DOCTORS IN THE LONG BEACH AREA. TABLES SHOW THE DATA FROM THE 193 RETURNS. MOST SAID THEY (1) DO NOT WANT STATE LICENSING OF ASSISTANTS, (2) PREFER THOSE TRAINED IN COURSES ACCREDITED BY THE COUNCIL ON MEDICAL EDUCATION, (3) DO NOT LIMIT THEIR HIRING TO THE EXPERIENCED, (4) ENCOURAGE ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP IN THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, (5) ENCOURAGE POST-GRADUATE WORK, AND (6) FEEL THE AAMA SHOULD GIVE MORE WORKSHOPS, STUDY COURSES, AND CLINICS. AT LEAST 75 PERCENT INSISTED ON A KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICAL LAW, ETHICS, ETIQUETTE, AND TERMINOLOGY, TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES, APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING, TYPING, FILING, AND AUTOCLAVING. TWENTY-FIVE OTHER SKILLS WERE MENTIONED BY 50 TO 75 PERCENT OF THE DOCTORS. IF EXISTING LAWS WERE CHANGED, THEY WOULD LIKE ASSISTANTS TO GIVE INJECTIONS, DRAW BLOOD, AND TAKE X-RAYS. MOST DOCTORS DO NOT REQUIRE A MEDICAL EXAMINATION, BUT DO WANT REFERENCES AND TRANSCRIPTS. THEY USUALLY HIRE THROUGH THE COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. THE QUALITIES THEY SEEK MOST ARE DEPENDABILITY, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, EFFICIENCY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND A PLEASANT PERSONALITY. MOST FREQUENT CAUSES FOR DISMISSAL ARE INEFFICIENCY, DISHONESTY, AND EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY. THEY PAY HIGHER STARTING SALARIES TO THOSE FROM AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL, GIVE MERIT RAISES RATHER THAN AUTOMATIC ONES, HAVE NO VACATION OR SICK LEAVE POLICIES, AND CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR THEIR ASSISTANTS. (HH)