How to Get a Medical Assistant Job in 6 Steps
Jan 21, 2024
Entering into the medical field is a rewarding career path that many choose to go down. However, achieving a job as a medical assistant, like many other medical jobs, requires training and experience.
Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics. They are well-valued workers within the industry.
Knowing how to navigate this industry whether you're just stepping into it for the first time, or switching from another position in the medical field is important.
Table of Contents
- Starting your job search as a medical assistant
- Preparing for your medical assistant job interview
- What are the benefits of being a medical assistant?
“Medical assistants work alongside physicians, mainly in outpatient or ambulatory care facilities, such as medical offices and clinics.”
Before diving into the world of medical assisting, it's crucial to take a step back and truly understand the profession.
Here's why this initial research is essential:
- Finding the Right Fit: Medical assisting offers a diverse range of duties, from clinical tasks to administrative support. Researching the specific responsibilities can help you determine if it aligns with your interests and career goals.
- Preparing for Your Journey: Understanding the educational paths available, like certificate programs or associate's degrees, allows you to make informed decisions about your training.
- Building a Strong Foundation: Familiarizing yourself with the daily tasks and responsibilities of a medical assistant will prepare you for your coursework and future job interviews.
Equipping yourself with the proper training is the key to unlocking a successful career as a medical assistant. Here are the two main educational paths you can consider:
- Certificate programs
Typically completed in less than a year, these programs provide a focused curriculum on essential medical assisting skills.
- Associate's degrees
Offered at community colleges and vocational schools, these programs usually take two years to complete.
After you've clocked in as many hours of experience as possible, you'll then need to look into obtaining certification. A certification is going to help you secure the job you want and puts you ahead of any applicants who've decided to apply without a certification.
There are a variety of medical assistant programs out there so it's essential to find one that's reputable in the medical field. FHCA sees many great students through its doors, many of which, go into a medical assistant career.
First and foremost, you'll need to attain the relevant experience needed when entering into this kind of role. Even if that means taking on some volunteer work to begin with. The more experience you have, the easier it will become to get a job as a certified medical assistant.
A medical internship is worth exploring. These can come in the form of paid and unpaid positions.
Once you've got your certification, you'll then be tasked with finding a job in the medical assisting domain. That means taking a look at your resume and tweaking it to make it compatible with any medical assistant job you apply for.
The same goes for a cover letter. Each job description will explain what the candidate needs to secure an interview. Your cover letter is a good way to tick off all the requirements so that your application gets noticed.
When looking at how to get a medical assistant job, then make sure you prepare for interviews. Do your research on the company and get a good night's sleep before the big day so you're well-rested.
Starting your job search as a medical assistant
In order to get to the end goal which is the job as a medical assistant, you'll want to know how to go about starting your job search.
“Medical assisting is one of the nation's careers growing much faster than average for all occupations, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics”
Websites with medical assistant jobs
Importance of networking in the medical field
When looking at smart goals for medical assistants, one of the most useful ways in which to gain a position as a medical assistant is to network. Networking is essential for many careers because who knows who may influence your journey both positively and negatively?
Preparing for your medical assistant job interview
In order to successfully prepare for your job as a certified nursing assistant, it's worth knowing how to approach this in the most productive way.
Firstly, make sure you've done your research on the company and the role itself. That way, in the interview, you can show off your knowledge of the company.
Common interview questions for medical assistants
There are some typical nursing interview questions that are worth knowing and prepping for before you go into the interview room. These tips for new medical assistants, including a prior knowledge of interview questions will hopefully help when you're looking to become a medical assistant.
- Tell me about yourself
- What experience as a medical assistant do you have already?
- How do you handle yourself when under pressure?
- What would you say are your weaknesses?
- Would you consider yourself to be a people person?
What are the benefits of being a medical assistant?
There are many great benefits of being a medical assistant. Here are some when you're looking at how to get a medical assistant job.
- Helps you get into the healthcare field
- Lots of other career opportunities and options available
- A rewarding career in patient care
- Stability and security
Additionally, you might wonder, can a medical assistant work from home? While most roles are based in clinics or outpatient facilities, some administrative tasks, like billing or telehealth support, may offer opportunities for remote work.
Of course, there are Pros and cons of medical assistants but if you possess the skills and experience needed, you're sure to be a good fit for this role.
