As a medical assistant, you balance patient care and administrative support. Your resume should demonstrate this ability and show hiring managers that you meet their skills and experience requirements. This guide offers expert insights to help you craft a medical assistant resume that shows you’re more than qualified for the job.
Key takeaways:
As a medical assistant, your resume is the key to securing your next job in the health care industry, and a basic resume template is the best place to start. Your medical assistant resume should include the following sections:
Your contact information should be easy to find at first glance so hiring managers can reach you for further discussion. In addition to your name, include your phone number, email address, and a URL to any online professional profiles like LinkedIn.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn
Inform hiring managers as to why you’re the best medical assistant for the job by creating a compelling resume profile. List your job title, years of experience, and any key specializations. This small paragraph should summarize your most relevant skills and align with the requirements of the position.
For instance, imagine the employer needs someone who has experience with advanced patient care techniques. If you had those abilities or a relevant credential, you would highlight your experience performing complex wound care, administering IV medications, or using the techniques learned from an Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification.
Registered Medical Assistant with over a decade in the health care industry. Currently leading a team of 15 assistants, providing mentorship and professional development. Holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration. Collaborates with medical providers across departments to ensure seamless administrative and patient care support.
Motivated soon-to-be Certified Medical Assistant with two years of hands-on experience providing quality patient care and administrative support in fast-paced health care settings. Prioritizes clear communication and education for patients. Collaborates well with medical providers in preparation for examinations or treatments while maintaining a clean environment.
To provide a detailed record of your clinical and administrative experiences, highlight your key responsibilities in past positions. Starting with your most recent job first, create bullet points to outline common duties. Remember to include achievements for things like improving metrics for patient flow or reducing administrative errors.
Hiring managers want to see what results you achieved so they can gauge the potential value you could bring them. If you assisted with specialized procedures or are familiar with a specific software, describe that here as well. Use action verbs and numbers to frame these statements as accomplishments.
Lead Medical Assistant, Osborn Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
February 2022 – present
Medical Assistant Trainee, Sun Valley Medical Center, San Diego, CA
January 2023 – present
Use numbers and metrics to show the results you achieved in previous roles. This provides context to your work history and gives employers a better understanding of your scope and impact. You can demonstrate your potential as a medical assistant by detailing your clinical contributions and patient satisfaction scores.
It’s essential to align your medical assistant resume with each job posting by featuring the same language and keywords within your document. The goal is to highlight the specific skills and requirements you have that the hiring manager is looking for. This approach shows you’ve done your research and gives you the best chance of capturing their attention.
Think of your resume as an advertisement to potential employers. It should speak to their needs and persuade them to consider you for the job. Tailoring your resume for each application increases your chances of impressing hiring managers and getting a response to your “advertisement.”
Creating a medical assistant resume can be challenging if you don’t have real-world experience yet. However, it’s important to remember you still have valuable skills and knowledge from your education and training. Be sure to highlight relevant coursework you’ve completed or certifications, and any volunteer work or internships you’ve participated in.
In addition to your academic and non-paid work, focus on emphasizing your willingness to learn and any other relevant interpersonal skills. By highlighting these qualities, you demonstrate your potential to be a valuable asset to any medical team.
Education requirements will vary depending on the medical assistant job. If you participated in a postsecondary program, include that information in your education section. For those who were brought into medical assisting through on-the-job training, simply list your highest level of education, including the degree or diploma name, school, location, and dates of attendance.
If your state requires government-issued credentials to practice as a medical assistant, include that information in a certification section. You can also include basic life support, advanced cardiac life support credentials, or other specialty training certifications. This extra training can set you apart from other medical assistants and give you an edge over the competition.
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Medical Assistance
Haywood Community College, Clyde, NC | September 2015 – June 2017
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Nationally Certified Medical Assistant, National Center for Competency Training, 2022
Highlighting key skills on your medical assistant resume will show potential employers you have the technical and interpersonal abilities needed to perform the job. Create a simple, bulleted list to increase your chances of making it through any ATS and on to the hiring manager. This strategy will help to establish your credibility as a competent medical assistant. Include key skills on your resume like the ones listed below:
Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
---|---|
Attention to detail | Communication |
Electronic health records (EHR) management | Empathy and compassion |
HIPAA compliance | Medical coding and billing |
Medication administration | Multi-tasking |
Organization | Patient intake and assessment |
Phlebotomy | Sanitation protocol |
Specimen collection | Stress management |
Vital sign measurement |
Take a strategic approach with the words you use on your medical assistant resume by using action verbs to communicate your past job duties and accomplishments. Instead of listing off duties with phrases like, “I was responsible for assisting,” use action verbs to start each sentence. Consider using the action verbs below to inject some energy into your medical assistant resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Administered | Assessed |
Assisted | Coordinated |
Delivered | Educated |
Implemented | Improved |
Monitored | Organized |
Prepared | Processed |
Recorded | Scheduled |
Supported |
Your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers, so it must accurately reflect your skills and experience in the health care industry. Before you begin writing, choose an appropriate resume template that offers a well-structured foundation. The best resume template for medical assistants is clear and concise. It should have good spacing and a simple design that works to make your professional experience shine.
Amanda Lopez
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn
Compassionate and detail-oriented Certified Medical Assistant with over six years of clinical experience in a fast-paced health care environment. Seeking a position with Heather Valley Clinic as a medical assistant. Possesses solid communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven track record of providing high-quality patient care.
Certified Medical Assistant, UNC Health, Asheville, NC
November 2021 – present
Certified Medical Assistant, Novant Health, Winston-Salem, NC
June 2017 – November 2021
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Medical Assistance, September 2015 – June 2017
Haywood Community College, Clyde, NC
There’s no shortage of medical assistant jobs, and employment over the next decade is looking bright. However, even with a high demand, you can expect competition for jobs at the most prestigious health care facilities. For the best chances of landing an interview, you’ll need a resume that speaks to the needs of potential employers.
Study the job description before writing to ensure you include what’s most relevant in your resume. For example, if an organization is looking for a medical assistant with extensive experience performing diagnostic tests, emphasize your own abilities in this area. Describe what types of laboratory procedures you’re familiar with and how you ensure accurate test results.
Blending the chronological and functional formats, the combination resume is the best choice for medical assistants. Put your technical skills and bedside manner on display with a list of key skills at the top of your resume. Then, move on to a record of your latest relevant work experience. This well-rounded format ensures hiring managers see the best of your qualifications.
Go beyond your resume and speak directly to the hiring manager with a cover letter. Including one with your application allows you to go into greater detail on your passion for working in health care. It’s the perfect chance to stand out from other applicants by describing what makes you an ideal fit for the organization’s medical team.
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