- What should your medical assistant resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a medical assistant?
- Include a fitting medical assistant resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a medical assistant resume?
- How to select the most impactful medical assistant resume template
- Copyable medical assistant resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a medical assistant resume
Applying for your next role as a medical assistant? You need to prepare the perfect resume, stat. Use our helpful guide and example to put together a quality medical assistant resume to impress employers.
Medical assistants collaborate with physicians and interact with patients to provide quality care. When applying for a medical assistant job, it can be difficult to condense all your skills, experience, and training into a concise resume. For some help, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide with an example you can use to make your medical assistant resume stand out.
In this article, we’ll cover the following topics:
What information a medical assistant resume should include
Tips for describing your experience and training
The best skills to highlight on your resume
How to choose a resume template
What should your medical assistant resume include?
Medical assistants have a unique role in healthcare settings, performing both administrative and clinical tasks. Like the job itself, your medical assistant resume should serve a multipurpose function by conveying your core skills, experience, and qualifications.
With your resume, you want to show a hiring manager your ability to interact well with doctors, nurses, and patients. It should also explain your value in helping the medical office or facility run smoothly.
Your resume should have the following sections:
A resume header with your contact information
A resume summary
An employment history section
An education section
A resume skills section
How can you create a professional summary?
The professional summary is the first impression you’ll make on an employer. In a few sentences, emphasize why you’re the best candidate for the medical assistant position. Highlight the strengths or achievements that separate you from other candidates.
For example, you might mention how you’ve contributed to a healthcare team with high patient satisfaction scores. If you have specialized skills, such as phlebotomy, it’s good to highlight those in your summary as well.
As we’ve shown in our example, consider drawing attention to your key qualifications, such as a certification. Use bullet points to make it easy for an employer to see your top skills and credentials at a glance.
See our adaptable medical assistant resume summary below.
Highly skillful and dedicated administrative professional able to provide superior patient assistance and care.
How should you describe your work experience as a medical assistant?
In your work experience section, describe how your healthcare experience has prepared you for a new role. Use the job description as a guide to highlight the relevant experience you have. If the job posting emphasizes administrative duties, for example, focus your experience on areas like scheduling, billing, and recordkeeping.
Outline your employment history in reverse-chronological order, including your job title and years of employment. Write a short paragraph describing your daily duties in each position. Use bullet points to highlight the key skills you’ve gained or the unique tasks you’ve performed in previous jobs. In our example, the bullet points show the applicant’s advanced skills, such as suture removals and allergy shots.
Take a look at the adaptable medical assistant resume employment history section below.
Medical Assistant at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Kenosha, Wisconsin 2014 - 2015
Prepared medical exam rooms by ensuring cleanliness, safety, and adequate supplies prior to patient visits.
Gathered patient medical histories and recorded vital statistics prior to seeing the medical provider.
Received and uploaded x-rays, CT scans, and lab reports.
Gained experience in wound care, including removal of staples and sutures from wound sites.
Medical Assistant at Kenosha Allergy and Asthma, Kenosha, Wisconsin 2013 - 2014
Supported efficient patient care by prepping medical exam rooms and ensuring cleanliness, safety, and adequate supplies before patient arrival.
Documented patient medical histories and recorded vital signs.
Completed allergy skin tests and administered allergy shots.
Medical Assistant at North Shore Allergy and Asthma, Milwaukee, Minnesota 2012 - 2013
Ascertained the reason for appointment prior to the doctor’s arrival.
Educated patients post-exam on treatments, procedures, medications, and physician instructions.
Prepped exam rooms and obtained medical histories/vital statistics.
Prepared/administered medications as directed by practitioners.
Medical Receptionist at Dr. Rodrigo Mata, Racine, Wisconsin 2007 -2011
Served as liaison between patients and the doctor; communicated with patients on the phone and in person to schedule tests/appointments, discuss laboratory results, and to gather or disseminate information.
Ensured proper payments prior to appointments; completed insurance claim forms.
Reviewed/organized patient charts to ensure accuracy and improve accessibility.
What can you do without any relevant experience?
If you’re applying for your first job, include details about the practicum or internship you completed as part of your medical assistant training program. You can also mention other healthcare jobs you’ve held, such as a medical receptionist position, or previous volunteer experience in a hospital or other medical facility.
Include a fitting medical assistant resume education and certifications section
Typically, employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed a postsecondary program, such as a certificate or an associate degree in medical assisting. Include a section on your resume to showcase your relevant training.
Follow these guidelines for your education section:
Keep it short. You only need to provide the name of your diploma or degree and the school where you earned it.
List your highest degree first. If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, list it before your medical assisting program, even if it’s in a field other than healthcare.
Include your certifications. Provide details about relevant certifications, such as CPR, below your educational information.
Medical Assistant Certificate at Milwaukee Career College, Milwaukee, WI
Expert Tip
Know the certification requirements
Some states require medical assistants to be licensed or certified, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Make sure you know the certification requirements where you live. If your state requires certification, list it on your resume so an employer knows you’re eligible to practice.
Which key skills are relevant for a medical assistant resume?
Medical assistants use a variety of skills to contribute to positive patient outcomes. Choose the top hard and soft skills you want to emphasize on your resume.
If you’re unsure about which skills to include, take another look at the job description. Many employers place keywords in job postings so that an applicant tracking system (ATS) can scan resumes for those words and phrases. By using them on your resume, you’re more likely to get your resume to the next round. (For more details on creating an optimized resume, check out our article on resume ATS optimization.)
These are some common skills to include on a medical assistant resume:
Medical terminology
Scheduling
Patient care
Insurance verification
Medical billing
Electronic medical records
Medical office administration
How to select the most impactful medical assistant resume template
When selecting a template for your resume, choose a clean, professional format to demonstrate your organization and attention to detail. Use a standard font and bold section headings to help a hiring manager review your resume quickly.
Keep your resume to one or two pages. Write concisely so an employer can understand your skills and experience without having to search for information.
For a professional resume you can make in minutes, explore the different templates we offer in our resume builder. You can also browse over 100 resume examples to get ideas for your own.
Copyable medical assistant resume example
Summary example
Highly skillful and dedicated administrative professional able to provide superior patient assistance and care.
Employment history example
Medical Assistant at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Kenosha, Wisconsin 2014 - 2015
Prepared medical exam rooms by ensuring cleanliness, safety, and adequate supplies prior to patient visits.
Gathered patient medical histories and recorded vital statistics prior to seeing the medical provider.
Received and uploaded x-rays, CT scans, and lab reports.
Gained experience in wound care, including removal of staples and sutures from wound sites.
Medical Assistant at Kenosha Allergy and Asthma, Kenosha, Wisconsin 2013 - 2014
Supported efficient patient care by prepping medical exam rooms and ensuring cleanliness, safety, and adequate supplies before patient arrival.
Documented patient medical histories and recorded vital signs.
Completed allergy skin tests and administered allergy shots.
Medical Assistant at North Shore Allergy and Asthma, Milwaukee, Minnesota 2012 - 2013
Ascertained the reason for appointment prior to the doctor’s arrival.
Educated patients post-exam on treatments, procedures, medications, and physician instructions.
Prepped exam rooms and obtained medical histories/vital statistics.
Prepared/administered medications as directed by practitioners.
Medical Receptionist at Dr. Rodrigo Mata, Racine, Wisconsin 2007 -2011
Served as liaison between patients and the doctor; communicated with patients on the phone and in person to schedule tests/appointments, discuss laboratory results, and to gather or disseminate information.
Ensured proper payments prior to appointments; completed insurance claim forms.
Reviewed/organized patient charts to ensure accuracy and improve accessibility.
Education example
Medical Assistant Certificate at Milwaukee Career College, Milwaukee, WI
Skills example
health/safety guidelines
HIPAA
Patient-centric healthcare
medical office reception
customer service
physician support
exam room preparations
coordinating schedules
phlebotomy tasks
electrocardiograms
Key takeaways for writing a medical assistant resume
When creating a resume for a medical assistant job, aim to show your ability to handle a diverse range of clinical and administrative tasks.
Highlight your relevant experience in the healthcare industry and mention some unique skills that can set you apart, such as wound care.
If you’re applying for your first job, focus on the medical assistant training you’ve completed, including an internship or practicum experience.
Choose a clean, organized format and keep your resume concise so a hiring manager can easily review your qualifications.
