Medical Assistant Resume Example

Medical Assistants perform administrative tasks and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. This occupation is growing at 19%, which is much faster than average!

Nevertheless, you still need a stellar resume to stand out.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

In this article, we’ll discuss the following:

1. Which format is right for your resume
2. How to write a resume summary 
3. Describing your work experience
4. Listing your skills
5. Including your education 
6. Naming your certifications
7. Choosing the right template

Medical Assistant Sample Resume

Senior Certified Medical Assistant, Grace Medical Center

• Oversaw administrative duties (e.g., answering phones, scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, processing patients, billing and bookkeeping) in a facility of 20 doctors and 600+ daily patients
• Managed 6 junior Medical Assistant and administrative staff
• Recorded patient medical histories on Electronic Healthcare Records systems and maintained strict patient confidentiality 
• Performed venipunctures, injections and diagnostic procedures and ancillary tests such as EKGs, immunoassays, chemistry analysis, hematology, urinalysis and sigmoidoscopies
• Ensured the cleanliness, sanitation and maintenance of all facilities, exam rooms and equipment
• Implemented quality assurance and control program in compliance with HIPAA, CLIA and OSHA regulations to lower monthly overhead by 17%
• Reacted calmly and effectively in emergency situations, and treated patients with respect and compassion

Certified Medical Assistant, HealthWyzer Inc.

• Greeted 30+ patients daily
• Prepared patients for their medical exams by recording medical histories and vital signs
• Assisted physicians on more than 4000 tests, procedures, dressings, and lab tests
• Administered injections and medications as directed by physicians
• Prepared and maintained supplies for 4 exam rooms

Medical Assistant, Twin Lakes Clinic

• Prepared patients for exams, took medical histories, and vital signs and assisted during exams for approximately 20 patients a day.
• Collected lab specimens and performed basic tests
• Input information and updated patient electronic medical records
• Entered more than 2000 lab, radiology, and medication orders in CPOE for medical and Medicare patients
• Answered telephones, greeted patients, and assisted front office staff as needed

1. Choose the Right Format for a Medical Assistant Resume

The first step to drafting your resume is deciding which resume format to use. This depends on your career experience and skillset. 

You have 3 main options for your resume:

1. Reverse-Chronological — this is the most commonly used resume format. With this structure, place your most recent jobs first, followed by the next most recent job, and ending with your oldest position. 

Tip: only include jobs relevant to the position to which you’re applying, so leave out any former jobs that don’t fit. For example, if you’re applying to a Medical Assistant position, you would leave out a former job as a Waiter, since the two don’t fit together. 

2. Functional — this format is best for people who have been out of the workforce for a while, perhaps because they had to care for children or an elderly parent. This format lists your specific skills and qualifications. 

Have headers like “Technical Duties” and “Administrative Support” with their respective skills listed in bullet points below. At the very end, include a brief snapshot of your work experience.  

3. Hybrid / Combination — this format is a mix of both Functional and Reverse-Chronological. It provides more detailed work experience descriptions that would typically be seen in the latter, while still offering a bulleted list of skills.  

Tip: When in doubt, choose the Reverse-Chronological resume format. 

For a Medical Assistant, hiring managers want to glance at your resume and get a sense of the following:

• Experience with electronic health record software. Many healthcare facilities are moving their patient records from paper to the computer, so it’s imperative you demonstrate familiarity with computers. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills such as communication, concern, and empathy. Medical Assistants interact with doctors, patients, and their families, so employers want to see that you are capable of this.
• Familiarity with medical terminology. Medical Assistants record medical history, give patients injections, and prepare blood samples, so you need a solid education to support these tasks. 

The best format for a Career is the Reverse-Chronological resume format. This is because employers want to see the trajectory and growth of your career.  

2. Write a Strong Medical Assistant Resume Summary

While this is certainly an optional section, your resume summary is one of the best ways to succeed in that short glance.

But first — what is a resume summary?

A resume summary is one or two sentences at the top of your paper that summarizes your entire resume. It’s the punch line that gets the resume reviewer wanting to know more.

For a Medical Assistant career, include the following points in your summary

• The amount of time you’ve worked as a Medical Assistant
• The ability to perform both administrative and medical duties
• An adjective or two conveying your personality, such as “detail-oriented” or “compassionate” 

Here is an example of a bad resume summary:

‍Medical Assistant with 7 years of experience in administration and medical tasks.  

This is bad because it’s too vague -- the employer doesn’t get a sense of your skills and abilities. 

Here is an example of a good resume summary:

‍Detail-Oriented Certified Medical Assistant with 7+ years of experience providing optimal patient care and daily administrative operations of private physician offices and large medical group settings. Works collaboratively with care teams, and stays up-to-date on current standards and best practices.

This summary is specific, it tells the employer how long you’ve been working (7 years), that you’re “detail-oriented” and “collaborative” and that you have experience in a variety of settings. 

For more information, checkout our guide on writing a killer resume summary.

3. Describe Your Work Experience as a Medical Assistant

The next step to drafting your resume is to list your work experience. This includes the name of your position (e.g., Senior Medical Assistant, Junior Medical Assistant), the name of the location at which you worked, and the length of time in which you worked. 

Furthermore, write your resume experience in a way that anyone in your industry will understand. Don't use company-specific language.

For example, let’s say you worked at a place that called Electronic Health Records “computer files”. Not everyone is going to know what this means, and it sounds rather vague, so it’s best to stick with the common name, otherwise a hiring manager may not know what you’re talking about -- and if the manager is confused, they’re more likely to throw out your resume and move onto the next.  

You should also quantify your resume whenever possible. This means adding a number -- such as a dollar amount or percentage -- to your accomplishments. Quantifying your resume gives the hiring manager a more concrete idea of your workplace performance. For example, say that you “oversaww 5 employees,” “improved patient satisfaction by 20%,” or “lowered monthly overhead by $30,000.”   

Tip: One way to quantify your resume is by listing your accomplishments and awards. 

For more information on how to format your work experience, check out our guide. Don’t have any work experience? We have a guide for that too!

4. List Your Skills

Skills show the hiring manager what you can do for the company — without taking up too much space in the “work experience” part of your resume.

There are two types of skills — soft and hard. “Soft” skills are those that are not quantifiable and are more indicative of your personality. Examples include leadership, problem-solving, and communication. In contrast, “hard” skills are those that are learned through formal education. Examples include computer technology, programming languages, and certifications.  

Medical Assistants need to have a good mix of both soft and hard skills. They communicate with patients and doctors everyday, and also read medical instruments and perform certain medical tasks. 

 Relevant Hard Skills

• Medical Office Management       
• Bookkeeping & Filing        
• Patient Scheduling
• Medical Billing & Coding
• Taking Patient Vitals
• Medical Records Management
• Electronic Health Records Management
• Blood Draws
• Data Entry 
• Injections
• Ancillary Testing        

Relevant Soft Skills

• Patient Educations
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Detail-Oriented
• Time Management

Tip: If you want a more complete list of skills, checkout our skills guide.

5. Include an Education Section 

Most employers require that Medical Assistants complete a postsecondary program. Community colleges, vocational schools, technical schools, and universities offer 1 year programs that lead to a certificate or diploma. Some community colleges offer 2-year programs that lead to an associate’s degree.

6. Mention Certifications Relevant to the Job

Though certifications are not mandatory, it is preferred by employers. Having “Certified” Medical Assistant on your resume also boosts your credibility!

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies, part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, accredits five certifications for medical assistants:

• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) from the American Association of Medical Assistants
• Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from American Medical Technologists
• National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) from the National Center for Competency Testing
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the National Healthcareer Association
• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) from the National Healthcareer Association

For more information on certifications, check out our guide on how to include certifications on your resume the right way.

7. Pick the Right Template

Now it’s time for the fun part — picking the aesthetics of your resume! 

Here at EasyResume, we offer 4 different templates. 

• Creative: these resumes are bold and colorful with eye-catching fonts to help you stand out from the crowd. This is best for those in creative fields like marketing and art. 
• Simple: these resumes follow a clear, straightforward format that highlight you and your experiences. This is best for those in fields that prefer austerity, such as the healthcare and finance industries. 
• Modern: these resumes have sleek designs that are fresh and bold with elegant fonts and clean lines. This is best for individuals applying to startups or to companies with a young audience or product.
• Professional: these resumes have a clean, crisp look that incorporates only one or two accent colors. The focus is solely on the text, pulling the recruiter into your experiences and accomplishments. This is best for individuals applying to straight-laced companies that mandate a suit-and-tie dress code. 

Your resume template should reflect the job to which you’re applying. For a Medical Assistant career, try a Professional or Simple format. These formats convey your experiences in a crisp manner with little extraneous detail. 

Tip: Ever noticed that many hospitals are blue? This is because blue is reported to be a calming color associated with cleanliness and professionalism, while a color like yellow is agitating. Try incorporating the color blue into your resume!

8. Takeaways

We’ve done it! Almost. 

Now it’s time to get down to business -- actually creating the resume. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

• Research the job description to locate keywords
• Use a Reverse-Chronological resume layout
• Write your resume summary
• Include your education and relevant certifications
• Write your experience section in a way that any outsider could understand. Talk more about the how and why of your responsibilities. Quantify your results.
• Pick a resume template that fits the position to which you’re applying.

Start from our resume example to save time.

You’ll be on your way to helping patients and running the office in no time!