Medical Assistant Jobs Overview
Medical assistants are crucial figures in hospitals, physician's offices, and other healthcare facilities. They juggle dual responsibilities of making patients feel comfortable and keeping doctors organized. You can start medical assistant jobs right out of high school and enjoy a rewarding career with further education and advancement opportunities.
If you're highly organized and like working with people, you'll be the ideal candidate for these jobs. You'll be the first face a patient sees. You'll check them in and take their blood pressure and other vitals. Plus, you'll make sure their medical history is complete before the physician comes in.
Behind the scenes, you'll work with medical records, schedule appointments and procedures, and keep supplies stocked. You’ll typically work full-time, and depending on the facility, you might have evening, weekend, or holiday shifts.
Your skills will remain in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects this field will grow by 14% over the next 10 years. Get ready to choose from around 114,600 openings each year.
Salaries for Medical Assistant Jobs
Go into that interview with a good idea of what the position pays. The pay for a medical assistant ranges between $15.9 and $24.27 per hour ($33,072 - $50,481 per year). But salaries vary based on your experience and in different organizations or parts of the country.
For instance, these are the highest-paying industries for medical assistant jobs:
- insurance carriers: $51,410 per year
- management, scientific, and technical consulting services: $51,150 per year
- junior colleges: $50,680 per year
- scientific research and development services: $49,930 per year
- agencies, brokerages, and other insurance-related activities: $49,300 per year
Medical assistants also earn the highest in these areas:
Find out what you can expect to earn in your area with Monster’s Salary Tool. You'll also learn how much similar roles pay and potential next steps to take in your medical assisting career.
How to Find the Best Medical Assistant Jobs
If you’re browsing through medical assistant jobs and feel a little lost, take a step back and get back to the basics. Here’s how:
Understand What You Want
Align your preferences with the work environment. Do you see yourself in a bustling hospital, a small clinic, or would a physician’s office suit you best? Evaluate what you value the most. Maybe it's flexibility, competitive pay but with more hours, or a structured schedule. Choose what makes the most sense for your needs.
Scrutinize Job Openings
When sifting through job listings, focus on positions with well-defined responsibilities. Clear job descriptions signal a well-organized workplace. Watch for potential red flags like vague roles or unrealistic expectations.
Then, check the requirements. If you don’t meet each one of them, it’s still OK to apply. Just make sure you have the necessary education and core skills to perform the job.
Research Medical Facilities
Before applying, delve into the medical organization’s background. Research their mission, values, and reputation. Check previous employee and patient reviews to understand what you can expect. If you do your research diligently, you’ll have more chances of landing a position that not only fulfills your needs and aspirations but can also advance your career.
How to Apply to Medical Assistant Jobs
Unsure where to start writing your resume and cover letter? Check out our advice below.
Update Your Resume as a Medical Assistant
Crafting an outstanding medical assistant resume is a non-negotiable if you wish to impress recruiters so they’ll call you back. Here’s what to include:
- Contact information. Your name, phone number, city of residence, professional email address and professional social media account must be placed at the top of your resume.
- Professional summary. Tailor it to the specific role, showcasing your passion for patient care and proficiency in administrative tasks. Highlight your relevant skills such as medical terminology, and clinical procedures.
- Experience. Detail your hands-on clinical experience such as patient intake, vital signs, and assisting with procedures. Then, showcase your administrative skills such as billing or medical record keeping. Include achievements in the form of KPIs such as average patient wait time, accuracy in record keeping and similar.
- Skills: Incorporate a section to highlight your soft skills such as empathy, communication and teamwork, as well as hard skills like being able to use certain medical systems.
- Education and certifications. List your relevant degrees, certifications like the CMA, and any additional training.
Finally, throughout your entire resume, add the same industry keywords found in the job opening you’re targeting. Some examples of common ones include:
- EKG administration
- medical coding
- vital sign measurement
- specimen collection
- sterilization techniques
- first aid
- medical ethics
- electronic health records (EHR)
If you’re still unsure how to go about writing your resume, simply get in touch with Monster’s Resume Writing Services. One of our expert writers familiar with your industry will prepare a resume that highlights your skills and is optimized specifically for the medical assistant job you’re looking for.
Cover Letter Tips for Medical Assistant Jobs
When crafting a cover letter for a medical assistant position, think about how to complement the information in your resume, rather than repeat it. Plus explain why you want this specific role. Here are some more helpful suggestions for writing your letter:
- Whenever possible, start by greeting the recruiter by their name.
- Highlight your relevant experience in both medical assistance and administrative tasks. Emphasize skills like patient care, appointment scheduling, and electronic health record management.
- Tailor your letter to showcase how your expertise aligns with the specific requirements of the job and why you’re interested in that organization.
- Convey your enthusiasm for contributing to their team and briefly mention any certifications or special training.
- End with a strong closing statement, expressing eagerness for an interview.
Check out our medical assistant cover letter example to learn more tips and get inspiration for your own.
Then, upload your resume and cover letter to your Monster account. You’ll receive customized alerts with the best matches for your job hunt. Plus, companies and recruiters can contact you with new opportunities.
How to Follow Up with an Employer
Once you submit your application for a medical assistant role, give it a week before following up. This way you won’t come off impatient to the recruitment team.
Opt for email for your follow-up method. It’s professional and allows recruiters to get back to you when it’s convenient for them. Address the message to the hiring manager or recruiter indicated in the job opening. If you can’t find their details, go for a simple “Dear Hiring Manager”.
Strive for polite and professional language throughout your entire email. Be concise as well: after the greeting, state which role you applied for - always use the job listing code or number if applicable. Hospitals and medical facilities often have multiple openings at the same time and this can help them easily find your application.
Express your continued interest in the role and inquire about the status of your application. Then, briefly provide an overview of your profile and why you’re eager to join their organization. Wrap up by expressing your enthusiasm for an opportunity to meet them for an interview.
Interviewing Tips for Medical Assistant Jobs
Wouldn't you love to know what potential employers will ask when they interview you? We've got some ideas. Check out this list of potential questions for a typical medical assistant job interview, including:
- Why do you want to be a medical assistant?
- Tell me about your previous work experience as a medical assistant.
- What do you think makes a good medical assistant?
- Tell me about a challenging situation with a patient and how you handled it.
- What steps did you take to protect patients' rights and confidentiality?
- What makes you a great fit for this position?
Make sure, you also learn how to use the STAR method to answer complex behavioral questions.
What to Do When You Get an Offer
Upon receiving a job offer for a medical assistant position, ensure you follow a few last steps to close your job hunt with the best possible result:
Reply on the Day You Receive the Offer
Thank the employer for the opportunity and show your enthusiasm to become part of their organization. Then, politely ask for a couple of days to review the proposition. Companies expect this, so don’t feel uneasy about it.
Take Time to Evaluate the Offer
Consider the compensation package as a whole - beyond the salary. Bonuses, additional incentives and benefits such as a solid health insurance policy, 401(k) match or maternity leave can make a great difference in the long run.
Consider the Culture
Consider the work environment, the team you’d work with and the growth potential of the role within the company. If the offer doesn’t perfectly align with your expectations but you love the idea of working for the company, prepare to negotiate. You’ll need to clearly explain why the organization should meet your requests.
Medical Assistant Career Paths
One of the best parts of medical assistant jobs is that duties touch on different areas of healthcare support. So, you can build experience to progress in various more specialized roles, such as:
- Medical office manager. As a medical office manager you’re responsible for handling the daily operations of the medical practice. You direct a team, control finances and work to improve the patient journey. To thrive, you need natural organizational skills, leadership and strong administrative knowledge.
- Medical billing specialist. Does handling patient billing and insurance claims sound like something you’d enjoy? Go for a medical billing specialist role. You’ll help ensure timely reimbursement for vital medical services. To excel, you’ll need a keen eye for detail, and some knowledge of medical coding, billing and insurance intricacies.
- Medical records coordinator. These professionals ensure accurate and up-to-date patient records. You’ll have to navigate privacy regulations with finesse, pay attention to detail, and be familiar with medical terminology. Plus, you’ll need to master electronic health record systems.
- Registered nurse. Have a compassionate heart for patients and wish to have a more active role in their care? With further education and certification, you could step into the shoes of a registered nurse (RN). You’d administer care and medications and assist physicians in vital procedures.
Similar Occupations
If this kind of healthcare support job is appealing to you, you may also want to consider broadening your search to include these similar positions: